Black Lust
by cherryvixen416
Summary: Power tends to corrupt, but it really depends on what color your heart is. Good and evil will never agree, and sparks always fly when their blades collide.
1. A Touch of Upheveal

_This should sound familiar to you, or at least somewhat familiar. Its my rewrite of _Darkest Days, _a little "project" I've been working on for a while. Please don't hesitate to tell me what you think!_

_All credit goes to the original authors/producers. No monetary gain is involved!_

* * *

><p>The havoc Jenner had caused made quite a mess for the rats to clean up. Bits and shards of rope and wood lay scattered everywhere, and made clearing the area a task in and of itself. The rain didn't help them at all. Soon after they'd watched Mrs. Brisby use the Stone, watched her finish a job they couldn't, the slight drizzle had turned into a downpour. They knew working in such conditions was dangerous, but, no matter how much they wanted to quit, they knew the equipment had to be taken care of. Half of them stayed at the demolished worksite, the rest going to the halls of the rosebush, to eliminate any sign they had lived there.<p>

Mrs. Brisby had fallen unconscious, exhausted from her deed. Justin wasted no time taking her to Ash, the colony's doctor. He and Ages looked her over, saying at last she was perfectly fine, aside from one thing. Her hands had been badly burned by the Stone's power, her skin blistered and peeling. They were surprised to find nothing else, considering the beating she'd received from Jenner. _There's not even a bruise, _Justin remarked silently. He recalled the vicious backhand she'd gotten, being slammed against the side of her house.

A few minutes later he was back at the cinderblock, the mother mouse clasped tightly in his arms. The children were waiting outside the front door, their "Aunt" standing beside them. The old shrew looked angrily away as he came, kneeling so Martin and Ages could carry Mrs. Brisby inside. The oldest daughter, Teresa, if he remembered correctly, stood staring at him, batting her long eyelashes, blushing and shyly giggling. Cynthia stood behind her, holding tightly to her sister's skirt.

"She'll sleep comfortably now," Ages said, coming back with Martin. Seconds later he vanished again, going to check on bed-confined Timothy. Martin stared at the rat before him, features wide with wonder.

"You're a rat…" he said quietly. Auntie Shrew huffed in anger.

"Harry barbarians," she muttered before storming off. Justin chuckled.

"Yes, I am," he said to the boy. Martin looked to the others.

"You're smaller than they are," he said, making the rat shrug.

"It's always been that way," he said lightly. He held out a scarred hand. "My name's Justin," he spoke, recalling they hadn't been introduced.

Martin nodded mutely, ignoring the paw. "I-I'm Martin," he said, and pointed to the girls. "Those are my sisters, Teresa and Cynthia."

"Timmy inside," Cynthia said quickly, then ducked back behind her sister. Seconds later Martin began asking questions, wanting to know how he'd learned to sword fight, or if he'd ever drugged the cat. Justin told him how it'd been his job to drug Dragon until two years earlier, when he'd grown too large to fit through the hole beneath the cabinet. The other inquiry took longer to answer, but eventually the lad seemed satisfied, if still a bit bewildered. They talked a while longer, then Justin said it was time for him to go.

"I've rested long enough," he told them. Cynthia darted out before he could move, kissing his cheek.

"Thanks for saving my mommy," she said quietly, then ran back to her sister. The guard laughed, asking if they'd tell Ages to send for him when their mother woke up. They promised they would, and he finally answered the call coming from the distance.

(****)

He was still outside a few hours later, going through the debris with three rats in tow: Orion, his top lieutenant, Brutus, and Arthur, head of the construction guild. The site was almost clean, but there was one detail everyone had ignored, grey sheets protecting Nicodemus, Sullivan, and Jenner from the rain. Justin had given strict orders that he'd recover the bodies, and had chosen three of his most trusted friends to assist him. The rain had started falling again, knocking around loose pieces of wood, partially blocking their paths to the corpses.

_When it rains, it pours, _he thought, shoving aside a soaked timber. He looked up, and the lantern in his hand dropped to the ground. "S-Sullivan?"

The brown rat was sitting against the large stone, sheet clasped in his hand, face locked in a dazed stare. "Justin?" he asked, voice a hoarse whisper. "Is that…why are you…am I…dead?"

Justin stood speechless, shaking his head, trying to come to his senses. "No, you're not," he answered, still in that disembodied voice. "But I swore you were," he stopped, still thinking a ghost stood before him. "Jenner, he…he killed you-he cut you wide open…you should be dead."

Sullivan's hand went to his stomach, as though to make sure his legs were still attached. He didn't feel anything, not even pain. Still, he somehow knew Justin spoke the truth. "I think," he said finally. "I think I was."

The rain was taking another short break. The four of them came closer, Brutus standing and watching silently as the others knelt before Sullivan. Justin and Orion were directly in front of him, with Arthur off to one side. Justin shoved Sullivan's torn shirt aside. There was no blood, not even a hint of a scar.

"Nothing," Arthur said quietly.

"What happened?" asked Sullivan.

Justin stared at him long before answering, searching for any kind of explanation. "The rain caused a cave-in," he said at last, still thinking a ghost was before him. "The house was sinking straight down; we did everything we could to save it, but nothing worked. Finally it went completely under. I thought for sure the children were dead, but then Mrs. Brisby used the Stone, and…" he trailed off.

"What, that mouse woman?" Sullivan said, staring at them all. "What do you mean?"

"The Stone," Justin repeated firmly. "It was the Stone; it had to be!"

"What?" questioned Orion.

"What are you talking about?" said Arthur.

"There was no way the children could've survived that," Justin told them. "The house was submerged for more than a minute, but she used the Stone and it must have…" he trailed off again, but in bewilderment instead of confusion. The gem had more power than they'd ever realized.

"Right," mused Arthur. "It makes sense…"

"It's the same with your cut," Justin told Sullivan. "I saw Jenner's blade tear your stomach open and…shit!" he leapt to his feet, looking around wildly. "Shit!"

"Jenner!" cried Orion.

They took off running to the other side of the boulder, Sullivan getting up slowly to follow them. When he finally made it over the piles of debris, he saw them standing around a field of mud, a tattered grey sheet tossed to one side. He noticed the looks of distress on their faces, knowing it wasn't what was there that worried them, it was what wasn't there: Jenner's dead body.

_Oh dear God…_

(****)

Mrs. Brisby awoke from a deep, dreamless sleep, fully refreshed. She looked around, seeing her home was perfectly clean, the dirt walls packed even better than they had been before. The only problem was that she had no idea how she'd gotten there. All she could remember was desperation, Justin dragging her from the block while it sunk, his firm hands the only thing keeping her from leaping back into the swirling mud. Then all of a sudden she'd been surrounded by warmth, fear, doubt and hesitation vanishing completely, but then the world had fallen into silent darkness, and now here she was. She suddenly noticed a stinging in her hands, and rubbed them gently together.

"You were burned," Ages said quietly, startling her. She had no idea what time it was, but knew it must have been late for him to speak so softly. She looked for her children, learning they'd all fallen asleep in one bed, a sight she hadn't seen for a long time. _They must have been scared, _she thought, and turned her attention back to Ages.

"They're not as bad as they look," he whispered, motioning to her hands. "They should heal quickly."

She held her burning paws together. "What's been going on?" she asked quietly. "What time is it?"

"You've been out for almost two hours," he told her. "It's close to three. The rats have been cleaning up the mess left behind, but-"

"The rats!" she almost shouted it, barely recalling her sleeping children. "Are they still here? Where's Justin?"

"They haven't gone yet," he said. "But they will soon. Justin wanted me to send for him the moment you awoke. Are you…alright, Mrs. Brisby?" he added, looking quizzically at her.

"Yes, I'm fine," she assured him, barely hiding the blush on her cheeks. "What about Justin?"

"Wait here, I'll get him." He got up, leaving without another word.

(****)

Justin looked up, seeing the storm was done. The sky cleared as he made his way to the Brisbys' newly relocated home. He arrived just as the moon appeared, his smile glistening in its light as he watched her emerge from the block. _Wow, _he thought. She looked so beautiful under the mouse gasped in joy, running toward him. They met in the middle, Justin taking her happily in his arms. He could feel her body tremble,but the tremors shrunk the longer he held her, until they'd completely disappeared.

"Oh, Justin," she whispered. It was all she could say. She was no longer worried about her children, but the safety of her new friends. She slowly lifted her head from his chest. "What are you going to do?"

"Don't worry about us," he said calmly. His voice sent waves of confidence coursing through her body. He broke their embrace, staring in her eyes. "We're always a step ahead, ready for anything, including this."

She looked confused. "You were prepared to move?"

"Not entirely," he admitted. "But we always believed in a back-up plan for emergencies, should we ever be discovered. The bush had been altered for years, to enable us to pull out quickly. All the wiring, the lights, have been ripped out, and everything moveable is already gone. Everything else has been buried, deeper than we ever lived; you couldn't tell _who_ had lived there."

She listened to him speak, knowing she could listen to his voice for eternity. He was full of such confidence, such bravery; in many ways he reminded her of Jonathan, the ways he'd always comforted her, made sure they'd always had enough food and clothes for the children. She suddenly noticed his appearance, reaching over to straighten his collar. His clothes were clean, whole, defiantly not what he'd fought Jenner in. He noticed her staring, and gave a charming smile. "Am I everything you expected?" he asked.

She giggled. "Yes, very much so," but then a streak of sadness ran through her, erasing her smile.

"What's wrong?" he asked, suddenly anxious. He couldn't stand the thought of her suffering.

"I'm so sorry," she whispered, shaking her head slowly. "About…"

"About what?" he asked. He tilted her chin back with his hand.

"Nicodemus," she sighed deeply. "What will you do without him?"

He laughed. "Mrs. Brisby, Nicodemus is alive."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"He's _alive_," Justin repeated. She smiled, falling back in his arms, though couldn't hide her confusion.

"But I thought Mr. Ages said that-"

"He said Nicodemus was dead," he told her. "And he was right. But Mrs. Brisby, that stone," his grip tightened with excitement. "No one knows what happened, but when you used that stone, you saved his life- you brought him _back to life_!"

"But, but, I," she stumbled for words. "But how?"

"I don't know, but whatever it was, it saved your children, Nicodemus and Sullivan…"

She noted some hesitance in his voice. "What is it?"

"We've gone through so much," he told her. "But I don't even know your first name."

"Oh, it's Elizabeth," she blushed, suddenly feeling shy. "Elizabeth Brisby."

"Elizabeth," he said it slowly, savoring the sound it made. She did as well, loving how secure his voice made her feel, how just hearing him speak could erase her fear and worry.

"Nicodemus is alive," she mused, still bewildered.

"Yes, but he's decided to retire," he smiled. "Something about enjoying his second chance."

"What do you mean?"

"Elizabeth Brisby," he told her. "You are looking at the newly appointed leader of the rats."

She smiled, laughing with relief as he hugged her again, but Justin suddenly felt differently. He knew he needed to leave soon, begging for time to stand still. He was fighting tooth and nail, trying to suppress the sinking in his heart, the pain reminding him of their unavoidable separation. "Come with us, Elizabeth," he said suddenly, taking her hands. "You and your family—come with us to Thorn Valley."

"Oh, Justin," sadness entered her voice again. "You know we can't. I wish we could," she put her hands on his chest. "I wish we could go to your valley, live in your perfect world, but this place…this is our home. We don't…" a single tear slipped down her cheek. He quickly wiped it away.

"I knew when I asked you'd refuse," he said, knowing he didn't mean it the way she thought. "Timothy needs to recover, and besides, why go through all the effort to move the house if you aren't going to live in it?"

She giggled, though the tears still fell. Justin was never too far from joking. "Maybe someday," she said quietly. "But I'm afraid we wouldn't belong. We aren't rats."

"That's meaningless to them," he told her. "They'd honor you just like they did Jonathan. But you are right. For now you should stay here." In his heart, he knew she should stay for there were dark days ahead for his people, days she'd be better off never seeing, an evil he never wanted her near again. He found himself repeating her words, "Maybe someday?"

She nodded. "I would like that." Her tears had finally stopped. She stared deeply in his eyes, Justin returning the gaze with every ounce of emotion he could. He leaned forward, then stopped, suddenly unsure, but then he felt her claws drift to his shoulders. He breathed deeply, closed his eyes, and kissed her.

Her lips melted with his, fingers curling around the cloth of his shirt. Her eyelids fluttered several times before falling shut, a gasp drifting from her throat when he suddenly lifted her, holding her tightly to his chest. Her arms locked around his neck. She moaned softly as their kiss deepened, allowing him to hold her as her feet left the ground. When he finally pulled away she was breathless, never wanting to leave the warmth of his arms. "I'm going to miss you," she whispered, just seconds before he kissed her again. It was deeper this time, full of longing passion.

He'd waited for that moment since he'd laid eyes on her. His heart soared higher than ever, body growing hot as his fur stood on end. _Screw Thorn Valley, _he thought, pulling away for the last time. He gently set her back on the ground. _Screw NIMH; I just need her. _He gazed at her, at her lovely face blushing in the moonlight. Neither spoke this time, both knowing exactly what the other would say. He thought she'd run after such a display, but she welcomed his last embrace gladly, her head falling atop his racing heart. They remained that way for a small eternity, neither ready when they were forced to end it.


	2. Wind of Change

Two weeks had passed. The rosebush had stood empty, abandoned. Due to the sudden, unexpected change of events, only books, clothes, and kitchen supplies had been taken. Everything else, the furniture, radios, anything not easily transported, had been left in the collapsed tunnels, deeply buried to make sure the humans couldn't find them. They'd left a few things for the Brisbys, though it was a sparing venture, not wanting them to be noticed when the humans came. Their transition to the valley had gone smoothly, despite the setbacks. Their new home had been under construction for a year, ever since they'd discovered it. There was a permanent crew there, growing larger as needed; architects, the digging crew, electricians and bricklayers, as well as master farmers, whose job was to find the best spots to plant.

The interior space of the cliffs had been carved into a vast network of twisting halls and rooms, on a scale far bigger than anything they'd seen in the bush. The valley's low grassland took up most of its base, filled with little more than shrubs and scraggly trees. A clear, meandering river emptied into a large lake, the soil of its eastern bank protected by an evergreen forest that stretched up one of the two vast mountains, darkening the uneven surface almost to its peak. The shadows they cast in the mornings kept the floor cool, but not enough that it couldn't harbor plant life. The rats had chosen the western side as the base of their home, with a large, smooth hill housing the main entrance.

A single tree grew on this hill, its roots providing support for the rooms carved beneath it. This hill extended back to the cliff face, thirty sheer feet of sandstone. Nothing was built too close to this, to avoid any damage from falling rocks. The entrance itself was situated ten feet right of the tree, shaped like half an octagon, large enough for several rats to get through at once. It was three feet wide, two tall. Built of stone and wood it actually angled slightly below ground level, going back a straight fifty feet. This walkway was the same shape as the door, a round skylight carved in the roof every two feet. There was five feet of nothing, then suddenly hallways were branching off left and right. Reinforced doors emerged from hiding at the flip of a switch, covering the entrance and skylights in the case of flooding. The rats barely used fifty percent of the space, having made it so long to ease development in the future.

Most of the right side was storerooms, for things such as farming equipment and seeds. The original idea had been to have living quarters on one side, workshops on the other, but they'd decided that such a division would inspire laziness, and that was enough of a problem. They'd decided instead to have workshops on both sides, clusters of living quarters scattered throughout. The left side was the heart of the place, paths being much like they'd been in the rosebush, though less chaotic without having so many roots to navigate around. Only a few of these paths were perfectly straight, for two reasons: one was to keep the integrity of the hill, the second to avoid anything too human-like. Two of the largest rooms were the dining hall and auditorium, where they could gather to either socialize or focus on one speaker. There were smaller lounges scattered throughout, some quiet for reading and talking, others louder for shows and comedians. This varied nightlife, they all knew, only served to strengthen a community, even if these activities were based on human ones.

Extending further into the hill was working spaces, an infirmary, and a med lab. The med lab was separate, as it was used to study diseases and vaccines, fertilizer and seed development, even acids and explosives for construction. Closer to the left of the tree was the school, which had its own entrance, a gymnasium, huge library, restrooms, offices, food storage, as well as the wood and metal shops, all with apartments sprinkled throughout. Most of these rooms had a skylight, and every room had what the rats knew they couldn't live without: electricity.

Their society was based on its power, but they knew they couldn't live with stealing it from humans. That realization led them to study solar technology, developing the power source for their new home. They'd fashioned the panels from materials they'd collected from nearby towns, and had placed them atop the sandstone cliffs, connecting them to the halls by yards of cable. Solar power wasn't very efficient for humans, but it was more than enough for the rats' small community. The energy ran to a large generator, designed entirely by Arthur. Set up like a box of circuit breakers, it had switches to control how much power went where, including a back-up generator charged for emergencies.

Thankfully, most of the preliminary construction had already been completed, but the auditoriums, living quarters, and the lunchroom were still unfinished, mainly because there had only been sixty rats living there until recently. Besides that, there were only three problems that still needed addressing.

Somewhere along the lines, there had been a miscalculation, and now the plumbing only worked for half the lair. After being informed, the majority of the rats had dropped their smaller projects and were working day and night to correct the issue by installing makeshift pumps and extra piping. The frustration was only compounded because the other major utility was also incomplete.

There was no heat. It was amazing the work crew hadn't frozen to death during the winter. As head engineer, Arthur had designed heating coils that would be installed in most rooms, but the prototypes weren't efficient, and mostly just drained the batteries charged by the solar panels. The only solution was to run a few coils at night, switching them by the hour when it was the coldest. Any more than that, and it would blow the circuit breakers. During spring it wasn't as bad, but it wasn't exactly comfortable. Even then, the rats could see mist as they breathed, except for a few hours in late afternoon. The cold wasn't unbearable, however, and was easily cured by extra blankets and clothing.

The Thorn Valley crew had received quite a surprise when the community showed up six months ahead of time, but a quick explanation had settled everything. Even Jenner had known that moving was a given, despite his attempts to stop them. So much effort had been put into it that even the skeptics knew it was inevitable. Immediately upon their arrival, most of the rats had begun working on an alternative heat source. The time needed to design new heating coils simply wasn't there, what with the lack of plumbing and furniture, so Arthur did his best to come up with a new plan. It wasn't perfect, but it was good enough for the time being.

A small stove made of rocks and clay was built in each room to be lived in, with a network of pipes connecting them to various utility exits with fans to drive out the smoke. The only problem was that the fans weren't powerful enough. Smoke would pour back into the rooms. The only solution was to burn very little wood, relying on the heat the stoves absorbed. The rest of the construction was put on hold until the plumbing situation was resolved, except for a small group that was dedicated to building the necessary furniture.

Few rooms were complete, but one was Nicodemus', which was located in a low-traffic area between the library and the meeting hall. His new chambers were slightly larger than his old, though bare due to the quick move. Justin was there at least once a day, accumulating advice about how to run the valley lair. His official title was "Governor", and Nicodemus knew the young man was the best, the only, pick for his heir. Justin was a beacon in the community, with charisma and people skills beyond his mentor's wildest dreams. Almost everyone liked him and trusted him, but it didn't ease his conscious any.

There hadn't been any sign of Jenner, but Justin was still worried. He knew the dark rat had his followers, and that it was very possible they would come into contact with him. The former guard had been keeping an eye on the most obvious cases, though there was no way of knowing for sure the extent of Jenner's influence, or how many were really loyal to him. Sullivan had taken a new lease on life, and was now fiercely loyal to Justin, but he was certain he knew at least three of Jenner's followers.

The first was Castor, one of the originals and candidate for Captain, had Justin not already picked his successor. Second was Dietrich, a quiet rat who'd helped Arthur plan Thorn Valley, and third was Castor's electrician brother, Pollex, who was another original. However, Justin knew who he could trust. Sullivan was now his assistant, helping him keep track of everything going on in the valley, and Brutus, who'd been assigned as Nicodemus' personal bodyguard. And if there was one rat Jenner was afraid of, it was Brutus.

Gentle rat that he was, Nicodemus had insisted Justin keep a clear head, giving Castor and his men the benefit of the doubt, saying that perhaps they'd come to their senses as Sullivan had. Justin knew they'd only come to their senses if Jenner killed them too, and though he held great respect for Nicodemus, indeed he loved the rat like a father, but felt the old creature was too trusting, too forgiving for his own good.

"What troubles you, my son?" asked Nicodemus, pulling the young leader from his thoughts.

"I don't know," he said at last. "But…do you suppose Elizabeth is safe?"

Her full name was known by most of the community, but Justin was the only one who used her first name.

"Mrs. Brisby is safe from Jenner," said Nicodemus, knowing full well his student's true feelings for the mouse. "She no longer has the amulet, and without it, Jenner has no use for her. She was wise to give it to you."

"Lucky is more like it," Justin said to himself. On their last night together, Elizabeth had given him the amulet, saying that she wasn't yet ready for it, and to return it to Nicodemus. "But, Nicodemus, I have a feeling there is something about Jenner you haven't yet told me."

The aged rat let out a long sigh. He gazed at Justin a great time before speaking. "Yes, there is more to Jenner than you know. You see, Justin," he explained. "I have been wanting to pass on my skills, my…powers, to another for some time now. Jenner was my first student. When he was younger, he had such passion for our colony. His spirit was made of fire, and I felt that, one day he could lead the Rats of NIMH after I was gone. Shortly after we settled in the rosebush, I began training him, for lack of a better term.

"These skills were not necessary to lead the rats, but I knew they would help in the thought process one must deal with to be a leader. I trained him gradually for two years, perfecting his skills in small increments. I slowly realized, too late, that Jenner was not the right person. He tried to cut corners and learn things the easy way, rather than with patience and dedication. I knew he could never be the leader I had hoped for, and I stopped teaching him. He grew very angry, but he also knew the reasons why and became very bitter, instead of simply letting it go. He became my enemy, and began dividing the loyalties of the rats, trying to convince them that Thorn Valley was not the right choice."

"He failed, of course," said Justin.

"True, Jenner could not hold on to followers for very long. He had their attention, though no actions to follow up his words. Nevertheless, he could captivate an audience with his voice, and that skill made him truly dangerous, more so than his skills with a blade. The only thing that kept him from putting a stop to the preliminary construction on Thorn Valley was Jonathan Brisby's opposition to him. Jonathan could match Jenner for every word, effectively splitting the decision of Jenner's followers."

"Yes, I remember." Justin had rarely gone to council sessions, but he had heard of the intensity of Jon and Jenner's debates and hadn't been able to resist taking a peek. "Jonathan was fierce in those debates."

"And by the time of Jonathan's tragic death, Thorn alley construction was already underway."

Justin thought a moment. "Jenner always seemed to have a vile hatred of Jonathan that stretched beyond the debate floor, though. Was it because he was a mouse, or that he didn't live in the rosebush?"

"Yes, Jenner had a frighteningly large degree of hatred toward Jonathan, though not for those reasons. After I had given up on Jenner for a student, I chose Jonathan to be my next pupil." He paused for breath. "Jenner was _furious, _but he was careful to always hide his contempt publicly. He held his hatred tightly inside, where it festered and only grew worse. When Jonathan died, Jenner's hatred of him switched to me. He went so far as to try and kill me in order to win—in his mind.

"That night, I believe Jenner truly went mad. He had killed me and usurped my power. It looked completely accidental, and with no one in his way, he had control of everything. Mrs. Brisby was the first to challenge him, and he would have beaten the Stone out of her had you not intervened. Then when Sullivan turned against him, he was immediately slain. Jenner had the power in his hands and would do anything to keep it, just as he will do anything to get it back."

"But what good is the Stone to him," Justin asked. "I mean, if he never fully developed his skills, what could he do with it?"

"He developed his skills enough. In a way, the Stone contains my soul. Everything I know and everything I can do is concentrated within it. That is why Jonathan wanted to give the Stone to Mrs. Brisby. He felt it may give her the ability to live as long as he."

"Could it?" Justin's heart leapt at the idea.

"Perhaps; it would have been up to Mrs. Brisby to make that choice. That, along with the possibility that Mr. Ages or Ash and his assistant, Alexander, could not find a way to duplicate the serum, would have allowed Mrs. Brisby to see her children grow up, as well as allow her to grow old with Jonathan.

"It is this same reason that Jenner desires the amulet. He is skilled enough to discover how to unlock its power. If he were ever to unleash its strength, nothing could stand in his way, not even humans, and a tide of darkness would wash over the Rats of NIMH in a way you could never imagine."

Justin left unsure if he felt better or worse than when he'd come. There were so many variables to think of, all wrapped in an equation to which Jenner was the key. He wondered why, if Jenner had such capabilities of magic, he'd never used them. He was so deep in thought that he never heard the voice calling him.

"Governor?" it said.

But Justin kept walking, talking under his breath.

"Justin!"

He realized then someone was talking to him. _I'll never get used to that title,_ he thought before turning. Standing before him was the new Captain, a sleek creature of the second generation. "Yes, Orion? Sorry I was lost in my head," Justin chuckled. "What is it?"

"Actually, you wanted to see me," Orion responded. Orion's fur was full black, and he was tall and slender. He was muscular, but a bit lanky as well. The members of the second generation were every bit as fast as the originals, though a bit stronger. Orion was more than capable for his role as Captain. He was one of the community's best swordsmen, was quick on his feet, and had a remarkably fast mind. Justin almost envied the younger rat. He had a commanding voice that wasn't loud or harsh, with a smooth confidence that was chillingly effective.

"Oh, yeah, right…" Justin racked his mind. "You know what…I have absolutely no idea why I called for you."

"Dammit, Justin!" Orion yelled in jest. "That's the second time this week! You know, you're really monopolizing my time, when I could be attending to other duties…like making sure the weeds don't get out of control near the gate." He sighed dramatically. "Because if you give them an inch, they'll take the whole lair."

Justin laughed. "Shut up, would you?" He always enjoyed Orion's cynicism, even the bleakest times. But then he changed the subject. "How's Sarah been?"

"Fine." The black rat no longer chuckled. "She still worries a lot, and sometimes she cries herself to sleep when I'm not there." he sighed again. "But you know I've got to keep her busy during the day, to keep her mind off you-know-who."

"That's good," Justin shook his head. "I worry about her—everyone actually, but Nicodemus, Elizabeth, and Sarah are the ones I worry about most."

"That's nice of you to say, Justin," Orion said truthfully. "Though I think it'd only depress her more, if I told her others fret over her." He paused. "It's really a no-win situation."

"But she has shown improvement, right?" Justin asked, as though trying to change the mood again.

Orion nodded. "Yes, the doctor gave her some tea that's supposed to calm her nerves; she just needs to deal with her mind, and I can only do so much."

Justin nodded, knowing Sarah was a sensitive case among them. Born right after the originals, she had all their physical strengths, but there had always been concerns about her mental capacity. She wasn't slow, not even close, her mind was just delicate. The experience of NIMH and their escape had psychologically scarred her, and had made her overly trusting and needy. But then she married Jenner.

It had appeared fine at first, but their relationship had gotten worse as his soul had grown darker. Many assumed he'd been abusive to her, though not even Justin had had the courage to accuse him. After a while, shed begun having an affair with Orion, sending her husband into a tailspin of rage. No one had blamed her, though, and no one had held her or Orion responsible for breaking one of the community's laws. After that, Jenner had simply ignored them, as though nothing had happened, as though they hadn't existed; yet another bruise to his ego.

"Is there anything else?" Orion asked now.

Justin noticed the man shifting on his feet, uncomfortable with the conversation. "No, nothing," he said at last. "Maybe I'll think of it later."

"Very well." Orion turned and walked off, black clothes blending with his fur and turning him into a walking shadow.


	3. Infinite Dreams

The plow had come and gone, passing the Brisby home without incident, except for the fact that it took an entire day to clean up the dirt loosened by the vibrations. Two weeks had passed since the rats' departure, and since then most of the other animals had also left. Even Aunties Shrew had left for her spring home, but Elizabeth hadn't gathered her children for the move, not yet. Something in the back of her mind was making her wait; she didn't know what, or why. After all, this time of year they always went back to their home in the forest. It was a fun, joyous occasion because it meant warmer weather, and much better food than old corn. But for some reason, this year was different. Her children realized this as well, though they never admitted it. They just waited for their mother to say when it was time.

Eventually, Elizabeth came to the conclusion that she didn't want to leave because of the memories she had: the haunting ones of her late husband, refreshed by the rats, and the new ones that filled her. She felt torn, like she was betraying Jonathan's memory by having feelings for Justin. It had taken so long to get over Jon's death, and learning the truth behind it had only hurt more. She'd felt lost without him, but the crisis with Timothy had made her realize he could no longer help her, that she would have to do everything herself. Nevertheless, she'd kept thinking, _what would Jonathan do, _instead of _what should I do._

The realization had come to her, though, almost a year after he'd died, the day she and the shrew had sabotaged the tractor. Even now, Elizabeth didn't know what had come over her. She was usually terrified of the thing, but on that day, she'd felt as though it'd been coming after _her, _that she had to stand up to it until one of them backed down. The feeling she'd afterward was one she had trouble describing to herself. It was almost catharsis, like absolution or vindication. The words seemed right, but at the same time they didn't. It was almost as though she'd been in mourning for so long, holding on to her husband's memory, his spirit. But then his spirit had let her go, as though saying, _it's time for you to do this. Be brave, because I know you can._

Then the mournful feelings she'd had, the sinking in her heart, the bewildering thoughts had all just disappeared, as if blown away by the wind. It felt like getting smacked in the face and waking up to a new day, completely refreshed. She felt confident for once, and that confidence had been growing in small, sure steps, until she'd learned the truth of Jon's death, and his dark secret. Again the world had crashed around her, but that time Justin had been there to guide her, had given her something to grasp in the midst of the storm. With his help she'd come through with a courage she'd never known she'd possessed. She was sure she'd never had it all, that in fact Justin had given it to her, but either way she felt determined. She was going to dictate her family's future and nothing was going to stop her, not Jenner, not the farmer, and especially not NIMH.

After the move, Elizabeth had taken to sitting on the large stone her house rested under, gazing out at the farm, lost in her thoughts. She thought about the eventual move of her family, the rats, and the plow. She thought about many things, but mostly of Justin, and whether or not she'd made the right choice. The rats had left a few things for her, mostly clothing and books for the children, a kind and selfless gesture, and it was the books that made her question her decision.

The children had never read anything, other than what their father had brought them. Elizabeth had never thought about it before, but after they'd attacked the books like cats catching rabbits, she'd felt foolish for not doing anything sooner. Her children's minds were developing and they craved information. The new books had been fresh food to a starving animal. They'd read them over and over, learning every word, reminding her that she could never supply what they needed: an education that fulfilled the potential of their minds. They had Jonathan's intelligence, his desire to learn, and she felt that by having them live as normal mice the rest of their lives, she was denying them of their right to learn, to be who they truly were. She envied their intelligence and their ability to learn so fast.

And, of course, she thought of Justin, so often that he appeared in her dreams. Usually in these dreams they would talk, but there were times when they'd be together, and they wouldn't say anything. In others he read to her children, or she would relive their times in the rosebush, and there were even some that had them making love, sweet, passionate love.

Elizabeth longed to hear his voice again. Their time together had been very brief, but it had been enough, for both of them, she believed, to fall in love. She recalled the moments repeatedly in her mind; going over every word uttered, every move made, every moment frozen in time. But what stuck out most was when they'd said goodbye, when they'd kissed. They'd both been through hell, and had been there for each other in the end. The feelings expressed, and the ones that needn't be spoken had been there. The moment was theirs and theirs alone, but that didn't mean she didn't treasure their other times together as well.

There was that first encounter with Ages, in the beautifully lit hallways beneath the rosebush. She remembered being afraid of him, still disturbed after being attacked by Brutus, and for a split second had thought he _was _Brutus, then realized he wasn't nearly as big, or as mean. Within a few seconds she'd gone from total fright to total captivation, having been mesmerized by his smooth, commanding voice, and his dark, ocean-like eyes. She remembered stumbling over her words, pretending to describe the lights of the rosebush, when her description had actually been about him.

She remembered hanging on his every word, as they'd continued into the bush on their way to the council chamber, her first run-in with Jenner when she'd been completely charmed by Justin's ability to get a laugh from everyone at Jenner's expense. She'd only been thrilled further when Justin had come to her aide in convincing the rats to help her. He'd only known her a few minutes, but he'd helped anyway. Then later had been their short boat ride beneath the mill. She'd felt overwhelmed by Nicodemus' presence, but she'd felt Justin's presence as well, and had been touched when he'd tried to protect her by saying the mission to drug Dragon was too dangerous for her.

After that had been their briefer encounter under the farmhouse, before she'd been trapped. He'd mostly said words to fill her with confidence, though she still wasn't sure he'd been convinced she could pull off the task. She'd been a little embarrassed, undressing in front of him, though at the same time it had felt strangely erotic. Of course, it'd been a completely inappropriate time to harbor such thoughts, especially with the dire straits at hand, but she couldn't help it. She also liked the idea of having those thoughts with him again, and soon.

Then there were the volatile moments, after she'd escaped and tried to warn the rats about NIMH. Her world had become a terrifying nightmare when Jenner attacked her. He'd been so huge, quick, and ruthless, she'd immediately felt she'd die by his hands. But then Justin had come to her rescue, fending off the crushing blows of Jenner's blade with a simple staff, only to fight for his own life in their sword duel. Then, he'd immediately risked his life again, attempting to save her children from the sinking block. Only when all seemed lost did he give up, preventing her from killing herself as well.

But aside from their kiss, the moment she recalled most was their stay in the library, as she'd waited to meet Nicodemus. At that moment, she'd been dealing with duel emotions; she was frightened about the unknown fate of her family, but also astonished and bewildered, experiencing the size and complexity of the rosebush. Here was something she saw every day and thought little-to-nothing about, never guessing what actually lay beneath it. Sure, she'd known the rats were up to some strange things, but that's what she always remembered: the farmer's wife doing laundry, Dragon either sleeping or eating, and the plow. Then there was the rosebush and the strange rats that stole extension cords from the farmer.

Now inside, she was feeling the impact of knowing what really went on, and the stop in the library was the first chance she'd had to catch her breath, to take it all in. The vast room was dimly lit, a little chilly, and very quiet. It was mostly empty, except for a young rat reading a book. There were also several whose presence she sensed, though she couldn't see them. Justin led her to a table, offering her a seat on the bench.

"So, what do you think of our home?" he asked, sitting down. His voice was quiet, but the young rat shot a piercing glance their way, though after that she appeared to just ignore them.

Elizabeth paused, trying to find words that described how she felt. "I…I had no idea it was this big…" she instantly felt foolish. _He must think me childish now._

"It is pretty amazing," he said. "Even to me sometimes."

"Surely you've gotten used to it by now." Again, she felt foolish, wishing she'd had said something more…_intellectual._

"Well, I'm used to some of it," he continued. "But I still think about what it was like before, and it really stuns me, how far we've come."

"You say you've had electricity for five years?"

"Yeah, about five, I guess. That's what Ages says, anyway." He shrugged. "It sounds about right, but it seems a very long time. It's hard to imagine that, in the past, we stumbled around in the dark until we memorized the paths. Sometimes we used torches, but those were dangerous, because of the smoke." He sat for a moment, a distant look on his face. Elizabeth detected nostalgia in his eyes, also traces of sadness. He continued before she could ask, though. "It was a total accident we found this bush. We were on the move and didn't know where we were headed. It was late when we stopped to rest on this farm, then Nicodemus realized we could make it our home." He paused again, shaking his head. "God, that seems so long ago—I haven't thought about that night for years."

"I understand how you feel," she said at length. "It's only been a year since Jon died, but it feels like a lifetime ago—almost like someone else's life." She was surprised at how easily she could talk about her husband's death with him. The subject usually brought her great sadness, but not with Justin; perhaps because, in a far-off kind of way, he reminded her of Jonathan.

"I can tell you really loved him."

"Yes, I did," she said simply, then paused for a long time. "The first few months were very hard. I felt so…lost, alone." She paused again, looking at him, still shocked with the ease of saying the words. "He was _so _smart—it was almost fascinating, watching him think to himself as he taught the children. He taught me too, but mostly the children. He used to say it was easier with them because I was too stubborn." She laughed at the memory, then bit her lip. "I miss him."

"Mrs. Brisby," he said, looking very solemn. "I understand all too well how you feel." He laughed and looked at the ceiling, his eyes starting to water. He waited long before he spoke, as though thinking of what to say. "I had a wife once, years back—her name was Selina. She died though, while in labor."

"Oh no," Mrs. Brisby covered her mouth. "Did the baby live?"

He slowly shook his head. "No, she didn't—we didn't have a chance. It was dark, storming out, and we barely found shelter for her. Brutus and I had to carry her because she couldn't walk anymore…"

She reached out to hold his hand. "Justin, I am so sorry."

"Hey, now," he put his hand over hers. "Don't worry about me; it was a long time ago, and right now we should be thinking of you. But you shouldn't worry—once you talk to Nicodemus, you'll see that everything is fine."

"Who's Nicodemus?"

"Well, where do I begin with that one?" his voice was light again. "Nicodemus is our leader, but he's also more than that. He's wise, very wise, and the oldest of all of us. I guess that helps him, you know? You have to be old to be wise."

She laughed at his words, once more reminded of Jonathan. "Can he really help my family and I?"

Justin gripped her hand firmly. "If anything can be done, Nicodemus will know." They sat in silence a while, looking at each other. "You're a very beautiful young lady…Mrs. Brisby."

Her face grew warm as she blushed. "Justin, I don't know what-"

He suddenly seemed embarrassed. He pulled his hand away, looking to the side. "I shouldn't have said that. I'm sorry."

"Justin, no," she said, touching his hand again. "I don't mind. It's just…it's been so long since someone said that to me. I'm flattered—really."

"Still, I shouldn't have." He looked back at her. "I let my emotions get the better of me."

"I think everyone should let their emotions speak sometimes," she said. "They say what we really mean."

"Really?"

She nodded. "Yes."

"Well, right now, what do your emotions tell you?"

She began blushing again. "Well, they tell me that, although you appear to be very charming and cavalier on the outside, that you also have a sensitive side. I believe you'll be a husband again, and a father."

"Really?" he asked. "What makes you say that?"

"I don't know really…it's just a feeling." She laughed shyly. "You're very open, and…handsome."

"Handsome?" he said, making her blush again.

"Y-Yes…" she paused. "Now, tell me what your emotions tell you."

"My emotions," he said slowly. "Hmmm, well, I think that, once you set your mind to a goal, nothing can stop you. I think you're braver than you may realize."

"Brave? Oh, no, not me."

"Yes, you," he took her hand again, covering it with his own. "Don't discourage yourself. I believe in you."

She looked up at him. "Oh, Justin-"

She was cut off by Ages' abrupt entrance. "Mrs. Brisby," he said gruffly. "Come with me. Nicodemus will see you now."

"Time to go," Justin said, somewhat sadly. Elizabeth didn't notice.

"Oh, t-thank you for keeping me company…"

He stood, bowing gracefully. "Mrs. Brisby, it was my pleasure."

"Whenever you're ready," Ages said, irritated.

(****)

That was it, they'd connected. That small conversation had been enough to plant feelings in both of them. What she had felt was the long-lost sweetness of falling in love. It was happening so fast, it almost didn't make sense, but because of that it did make sense. It made sense to her, anyway. She couldn't explain it, it was just there. The feelings and emotions toward Justin were expanding like fire through her; it didn't matter that he was a rat, or that he lived within a strange society, or that she'd only known him for what felt like minutes. There was something about him that just seemed so right, and it was something she still felt after his departure.

And now she missed him, just as she'd missed Jonathan after his death, only with Justin, she missed his memories, what possibilities she could've had with him. Those possibilities were often explored in her dreams, and the dreams she liked most were those where they made love. She'd awoken from them more than once, sweating a bit as she tried to catch her breath. They were just so passionate, the images so vivid that they just made her miss him more. She missed the comfort of her husband. She'd used to take the feeling of someone lying next to her for granted, but now she realized how much she wanted that feeling, as well as the inspiration that came from being in love. The confidence and support were irreplaceable. She longed for the subtle feeling of someone else touching her skin, or holding her hand—especially the way Justin held her hand. She wanted them back, and she had them briefly in her dreams.

She had no idea how he'd really behave in bed, but in her dreams he was very gentle, treated her like a delicate flower. He was always silent, except for his breathing, which grew more intense as they progressed. His hands were soft, but firmly held her body to his. She could feel the strong muscles in his back, his shoulders, his chest. But the most intense part of the dream was his eyes. They never left hers, and always showed deep concentration, expressed every emotion. Then they would close as he concentrated intensely for the climax. But then it would all be gone.

Elizabeth snapped awake from her daydream, slightly panting. Looking down from her vantage point on the stone, she could see all four of her children relaxing on the ground below, not far from the house. Timothy had recovered almost immediately after the house was moved, instead of taking three weeks. She knew the time would soon come for them to move, but she was torn. The children needed an education only the rats could provide, yet she didn't want them going through the shock of such a large change. _What to do? _

It was midmorning. They skies were cloudy, as they had been for what seemed weeks. NIMH had arrived mere hours after the rats had left, and were still on the farm. The rosebush had been torn out and discarded, then the scientists had proceeded to rip into the ground, uncovering tunnels, including a long one the rats had used as a diversion, making it look as though they were ordinary creatures fleeing from their discovered home.

She wasn't able to hear all of what they said, but she'd managed to learn that the scientist in charge was named Valentine, and he kept referring to his superior, a person named Schultz. "Schultz wants results." "Schultz doesn't want to hear that." He would say over and over as the two men with him investigated the rats' former home. Elizabeth also noticed the men from NIMH seemed to be hiding something from the farmer, acting as though the Fitzgibbons' were in _their _way. She could tell from the farmer's body language and demeanor that he was growing irritated by the scientists' presence. But whenever he'd complain about their extended stay, Valentine would say, "Please, Mr. Fitzgibbons; it's all in the name of science."

"Well forget your science," Fitzgibbons responded. "What about in the name of my damn yard?"

Then his wife would usually step in, telling her husband to just let them work, and that it would only delay them further if he kept interrupting them. Valentine and his men all looked the same to Elizabeth: strong, with piercing eyes and buzz cuts, working in khakis that would always be filthy by the day's end. They operated out of a mobile home parked on the farmer's property. Elizabeth watched them vaguely from the stone. Valentine and one of his men were talking about a sample of dirt, the farmer and his son off near the tractor shed. She noticed Fitzgibbons keeping an eye on the scientists as well.

The third man burst from the woods, running directly to his leader. He leaned close, speaking rapidly, too quietly for the mouse to hear, though she was very interested now. Valentine apparently approved of what he'd said, patting him on the back. "Good work," she barely heard him say, then Valentine got out his cell phone, speaking excitedly. Elizabeth still couldn't hear what they said, but the farmer sure could.

The second Valentine shoved his phone away, Fitzgibbons stormed in his face. "No, you will not be spending any more time here!" he shouted angrily, obviously reacting to something he'd heard Valentine say. "I'm sick and tired of you and your truck tearing up my property!"

"Mr. Fitzgibbons," the scientist said calmly. "You were told this would take time, and after all, we did exterminate the rats for you."

"You didn't exterminate shit!" yelled the farmer. "All you did was run them off! And now I'm going to run you off!"

Elizabeth had never seen the man so upset.

"Mr. Fitzgibbons, I implore you-"

"I don't care what you do, as long as it consists of you leaving." He stabbed Valentine's chest with his finger, to which the scientist didn't react. "Now, will you leave peacefully, or will the sheriff have to remove you for trespassing?"

Valentine was silent, then nodded sharply to his men. They packed their equipment quickly and climbed back in the RV. Valentine then leaned close to Fitzgibbons, saying something too low for Elizabeth to hear, afterward getting in the truck and starting it up. They were gone within minutes. Fitzgibbons ran a hand hard down his face.

"God _dammit!_" he shouted, relieved the men had left, then went back inside the house. Elizabeth was relieved too. The men from NIMH gave her chills, especially Valentine. He seemed especially cold and calculating, more machine than he was human. She disliked them all, glad they were finally gone. Far in the distance, a freight whistle sounded, reminding her of the train tracks that ran near the farm. Trains could always be heard going by, and she remembered Jeremy telling her he lived in a tree just on the other side of the bridge. He said he'd be there if she ever needed help, and she got an idea as the dust kicked up by the RV settled, scrambling down the stone to get her children.

(****)

"But, what do you want the note to say, mom?"

Timothy sat with her at the kitchen table, a pencil in one hand, a blank piece of paper in front of him.

"I don't know," she said. "Tell…Tell them-address it to Justin-but tell them that…" she stopped, trying to find the best way to put it.

"Why don't I just say, 'The men from NIMH have left, everything's okay here'?"

"You're being impatient, Timmy," she scolded him.

"Awe, c'mon, mom," he said. "That's basically what you want the note to say, isn't it? Or…was there something else you had in mind?"

She gasped sharply, blushing as she tried to relax. "No, you're right, yes. Put down what you said, but make it sound…oh, I don't know-"

"Intelligent?" he said for her. The word had been her obsession the last two weeks.

She sighed. "Yes, intelligent," she conceded.

Timothy's hand moved impossibly fast, faster than hers ever could. "There."

"Read it to me," she said.

He gave her an annoyed glance. "You should be practicing too, you know."

"Timothy, just read me the letter," she told him. "I'll practice later, I promise. I just want to get it to Jeremy before it gets much later."

He continued watching her, then, "Dear Justin, I'm speaking on behalf of my family, Martin, Teresa, Cynthia, and my mother, Elizabeth. We wanted to send you our thoughts, and hope you made it to your new home safely. We also wanted to inform you that the men from NIMH have left the farm, and hopefully none of us will be bothered by them again; signed, Timothy Brisby."

"Excellent." Elizabeth took the note from him, scanning it for herself. She recognized the letters, making out most of the words, but not going over it. Instead, she trusted her son had read it word for word.

"Are you taking it to Jeremy now?" he asked.

"Yes, I-"

"Can I come?"

"Of course you cannot, young man," she began. "You need to stay here, and-"

"I know, I know."

"Timothy," her tone was apologetic, as she ran her nails through his hair. "Someday-"

"I'll understand, I know; you told me."

"I must go," she kissed his cheek and rushed out the door. After telling Martin to keep an eye on things, promising she wouldn't be too long, Elizabeth took off, speeding in the direction of Jeremy's home with note in hand.

On the way to Jeremy's was the bridge, a concrete monolith that spanned a small valley between two hills. Underneath it ran tracks, the bridge itself for an older set of tracks no longer in use. It stretched almost a hundred feet from end to end, not much for a human, but a long distance for a mouse her size. The bridge, like anything man-made, frightened her. They were all just so alien. The bridge had a small lip, a two-foot wide ledge that the animals used to cross. The tracks running across it had eroded from ages of disuse. Loose gravel, splintered wood, and tall grass growing between the planks made it difficult for anything to cross the main part. And when the new tracks had been built, much of the hillside had been cut away, making room for trains to come through. This made it impossibly steep for animals to cross, and circumventing took almost a half hour. The ledge was the fastest, the only way to get across.

She'd paused at the edge, staring at it when a gust of wind prodded her forward. She gripped the letter tightly, venturing out slowly, staying as far away from the edge as she could. Once her feet had settled on the concrete, she could feel it vibrating beneath her. Halfway across, the vibrations grew stronger, the hill violently shaking. The scream of a freight whistle made her gasp in terror, freeze in panic. The ground began shuddering, making her feel like the world was dropping out from beneath her. She looked back, wanting to turn around, realizing it was a stupid idea. She needed to cross this bridge. The train's roar grew louder, the ground trembling more than ever, but she somehow found herself putting one foot in front of the other, slowly but surely crossing the bridge.

Then the whistle howled like a demon, it's echoing bellow shaking every bone in her body, the train screaming to life beneath her. It was impossibly loud, tearing its path through the earth, the ground rocking so mightily that the suction of air pulled her from the ledge. Screaming, the mother mouse caught herself on the precipice, frozen in terror, watching the great metal beast burrow through beneath her, shaking her entire universe. Clenching her eyes shut, she pulled her body back up, going blindly until she felt the wall at her back. There she crouched, head held between her knees, and waited for the creature to pass.

After an impossibly long time, the shaking stopped, and the hulking train moved on its way. Elizabeth was panting, nearly hyperventilating. She'd used all her self-control to stay calm and still, and now she released it all. She gasped for breath, her eyes snapping open, hands and body trembling uncontrollably.

"Stop it," she said to herself, trying to get control. "Stop it!" she got down on her hands and knees, putting her forehead to the ground, trying to settle her nerves. She soon calmed to the point of control, willing herself the rest of the distance.

(****)

"This is very important, Jeremy," she said when she reached him.

"Hey, whatever you need," the bird said heroically. "You can count on me!"

"Good, now, do you remember where I told you Thorn Valley was?"

"Where 'you told me?'" he said. "Mrs. B, I knew where it was before anyone even knew it was there. Why, I-"

"Okay, I believe you," she said quickly. "But you do remember exactly where it is, don't you?"

"Do I know exactly where," he mumbled sarcastically. "Do fish swim and birds fly and…and, uh…"

"Now, do you remember where I said the rats would be?"

"What rats?"

She shot him a deadly stare.

"Ohhh, _those _rats," he winked. "Yeah, yeah, I remember right where you told me they were."

"Good, good, now, I need you to fly there and give this message to a rat named Justin."

"Wait, wait, wait," he shook his head. "You want me to fly to Thorn Valley…today?"

"How long will it take you?"

"Oh… uh, I don't know…less than a day, back and forth."

"So is it a problem?" she batted her eyelashes and spoke almost seductively. "This would mean an _awful _lot to me."

He thought as long as he could, which was about five seconds. "Well, why not? Like I said, Ms. B, anything for you, though I don't think the Mrs. will like the idea."

"Oh, I'm sure she'll understand, and I'm _sure _I could come up with some string to compensate you…hmm?" she fluttered her lashes, voice almost seductive.

"Say no more!" he smiled. "Now, where's that note, before I change my mind?"

"Here," she handed it to him. "Now, remember, be very careful."

"Of course, I'll be careful." He tucked it away. "You can count on, uh…me."

And with a flutter of black feathers, he was gone.

Before she'd entrusted Timothy's letter, Elizabeth had taken it out, as well as a pencil she'd snuck out of the house. Her children didn't know, but she'd been practicing her writing ever since her encounter with the Rats of NIMH. She'd taken the pencil and concentrated, hard, on five words she'd scrawled unevenly across the page. It had taken almost a minute to write them out, but she'd been proud once she'd finished, _"I miss you, Justin." _And below it, she'd signed her first name, that word the one she'd been most proud of.


	4. The Human Factor

The NIMH project had lost funding for years, and was now on the brink of shutdown. It was inevitable, and everyone knew it, especially Schultz. Her project, which once showed signs of being the most promising, had now become a novelty to everyone at the agency who knew about it, which was very few. It'd looked certain that her, her men and her unsuspecting employees were going to be out of a job, until now.

Now there was a lead, a sign of life. After eight long years she finally had a lead on her escaped experiment, and if she could get them back, Schultz was sure she could isolate the genes and reproduce the experiment again, only this time there would be no escape. And now, if she could show progress, real progress, the NIMH project would remain in the wealthy shadows of the agency, instead of being swept under the rug. She just had to find them, dead or alive.

Special Agent Schultz had convinced her superiors to fund the project over twelve years earlier. With her expertise in bioengineering, she'd set up NIMH, the National Institute of Mental Health. At least, that's what the public and her employees perceived it to be. Only a handful knew the truth about it, and its intentions. Of course, a lot of what was known about it was true. It was a government-funded research facility that developed experimental drugs for mental illnesses, as well as studied the human brain in order to better understand how the mind really worked. But Schultz wasn't interested in helping her fellow human become smarter. What she was interested in was making her fellow animal smarter for the benefit of mankind, specifically her agency's kind.

Animals were expendable, and they could go where humans couldn't, or wouldn't. The idea was to make the animals smarter to a degree in which they would follow specific instructions, whether they had to find out a name, cut off a power supply, or pull the pin of a hand grenade, it didn't matter. The animal would take the orders, understand them, and execute them. The problem was that the kind of training involved usually lasted longer than the lifespan of the animals chosen: rats. Rats were the ideal animals for the jobs needed. They were small, stealthy, and silent, also no one cared about them. No one would miss a rat if it died behind the lines. There were no family ties left behind and no mess.

At least, that was the idea. The first hurdle was to somehow increase the rat's lifespan in order to drum years of training into its head to make it useful, then they had to increase the rat's ability to absorb information. The first few years had seen exclusive focus on this task. After many test subjects had been used and the basic formulas were working, Schultz had begun her experiments. The first two had been disastrous. She'd severely misjudged how intelligent her subjects would become. The rate had increased at an exponential pace without her even knowing it, and her own creations had ended up outsmarting her. Still, she'd continued on, not allowing the chance for lightning to strike a third time. Security precautions had been taken to the point of absurdity in the laboratories when humans hadn't been around. Schultz had also learned her lesson with the hormone injections, and had dramatically decreased the potency. Unfortunately for her, the results of each successive test group also dropped dramatically. Group after group had been used, each getting a light variation of the original formula, in an effort to achieve the startling results of the first two groups without surprise. But it wasn't happening. It was impossible to replicate the formula without the rats; something inside them had changed, and she needed them to find out what it was.

In recent months, she'd grown desperate. Pressure from the agency forced her to run several experiments at one time, though by doing so, she was thinning herself out, making it nearly impossible to achieve even the most basic results, all while she searched for the escaped rats. They were the demons that haunted her every night. Without her, they would've been nothing, and without them, she was nothing. She needed them back, so badly that every moment they were gone, more of her sanity leaked away. And the rats had been gone for a long time.

_But now I have a chance, _she thought, walking to her office window. Outside, under the dreary skies, was NIMH's parking lot, only a quarter full due to low funding. Now there were few professionals working for her, the staff made up mostly of graduate students from the university nearby. They didn't care what they did, so long as they did it right and produced a record good enough to please real players in the biological/genetic field. She cast one more furious glance at the empty lot, cursing her lackluster employees.

_Screw them, _she thought. When she got those rats back, she'd show them. She'd fucking show them all. She peered down from her third story view, seeing two of her young employees leaving for the day. What were their names, George and Julie? _They all look the same, _she thought. _They all act the same. Who cares? _One of them looked up to see Schultz watching them, sending a friendly wave her way.

"Bye," she replied. "Bye, to you too…ungrateful little pricks." She gave a fake smile as she waved back. It was then she noticed something wrong. Her blood began boiling as soon as she noticed the NIMH RV parked in the lot.

"What the _hell_?" she cursed aloud.

Two minutes later, Valentine burst through the office door. Schultz whirled to face him, the younger man panting from running up three flights of stairs.

"Valentine, what the _fuck _are you doing here?" she demanded.

"Ma'am," started Valentine, catching his breath. "It's the farmers, they…" he paused under the piercing glare of his boss. He nervously cleared his throat. "They kicked off their property; they threatened to call the police."

"So you just picked up and left?" Schultz yelled.

"Ma'am, I know you're upset, but-"

"You haven't seen me upset," she seethed. "'But' _what_?"

"Ma'am, I analyzed the stool samples we discovered at the site today, on the way back," he gulped again. "And we have positive identification of the Beta Group."

"I knew it," Schultz swung back to the window, slamming her fist on the sill. "I _fucking knew it!_"

"But, what about the farmers, ma'am?" Valentine questioned.

"Yes," Schultz spoke at length. "What about the Goddamn farmers…" she paused long before turning, a look on her face that could peel paint. "The farmers are a liability," she continued. "They can be removed from the equation. Tomorrow will see the rebirth of NIMH, Valentine, mark my words. I want you to call back everyone on emergency assignment, all inactive agents, and have them all reconvene on the farm site tomorrow at seven A.M." an all-too-chilling grin lit up her face, a look Valentine couldn't help but imitate. "We're gonna take this project back to the top, Valentine."

"We've got the Beta Group, ma'am," the scientist began. "But what about the Alpha Group? They were the ones that really-"

"Fuck the Alpha Group," Schultz was almost shouting. "Whatever that was, whatever they _became, _it couldn't be controlled. No, the Beta Group is the real deal. If we get them back, we'll have the key to making a thousand Beta Groups, then we can eventually go and track down Alpha, but for now, let's stick with what we have right in front of us." She stopped a minute. "Now quit standing in my office and assemble everyone!"

"Everyone?" her man asked, unsure.

Schultz rolled her eyes. "_Everyone!_" she screamed.

Valentine scrambled out the door, nearly letting it slam behind him. Schultz was fuming. "And when I say everyone, I mean every-fucking-one!" she cried aloud, falling in her desk chair. She pulled the top right drawer open to its full length, removing the contents and placing them on the computer keyboard. When it was empty, she ran blood-red fingernails along the bottom edge, lightly tapping down and causing the other end to pop up. She grabbed the exposed end and pulled up, revealing documents that were highly confidential, enough to get her arrested if found in her possession. But she didn't care, as half the experiments she conducted would land her in jail just as quickly. She leafed through the pages that had been collected over the years, using the highest forms of trickery, or bribery if need be, and soon pulled out the one she was looking for. She'd forged many documents in her life at the agency, it was pretty much company policy, though in all her years, she'd never drafted one as illegal, as powerful, as she was about to. It was a document destined for drastic changes, especially the lives of all those involved with her plans.

* * *

><p><em>Okay, I <em>know _Schultz is supposed to be a man, but I just couldn't help myself! The men are almost always the crazy ones, and I wanted to see how it would go with a woman. But, if it really does start to bother people, tell me and I'll switch her back. Deal?_


	5. Standing in the Shadows

Justin had taken to wearing a cape due to the chilly air inside the lair. He also felt it gave him a greater appearance of authority, now that he was their leader, not that he wanted to become imposing or dominating. He just wanted to show confidence in his new role, and one way to do that was how he dressed. He no longer dressed like a guard, trading the blue and yellow get-up for a light grey shirt, a navy vest, and on some days, like today, his black cape.

The spring breeze flowed gently through it as he made his way to the fields. The sun would soon be setting, and the farmers were packing it in for the day. Only a few of them were truly dedicated to farming. With the exception of a few positions, the rats rotated the jobs that needed to be done, whether it was cooking, plowing, cleaning, constructing, or childcare, though the school had permanent teachers and assistants, since their jobs were considered some of the most important. All the other fields of work had a permanent rat in charge, a manager in a way; there was a head cook, head bookkeeper and librarian, Arthur was head engineer, and Orion Captain of the guard. Under each of them were various assistants who held permanent positions, but they only made up dozens of jobs out of hundreds. Even those in charge got down on their hands and knees when it came their time to clean the kitchen. No one liked doing the dirty jobs, but most of them agreed they should all help in every field possible. They felt it would create a stronger community. Unfortunately, not everyone liked this ideology.

Several rats, most of them from the council, felt they shouldn't have to be subjected to "back-breaking chores". They would always weasel their way off demanding work schedules, would always have an excuse when their turn came up in the rotation. Of course, Justin could understand the complaint, to an extent. It had been figured out long ago Orion couldn't boil water without messing up, so it was clear he'd never do work in the kitchen, and Arthur had absolutely no ability to work with children, so he was left off the daycare rotation. But that wasn't from a lack of trying on either rat's part. What annoyed Justin were the rats who just refused to work, or if they did end up working, they performed so poorly they just ended up being in the way of the others. Who stuck out the most was a young man named Cameron.

Having lived most of his life in the rosebush, Cameron had never known hardship. In fact, the move to Thorn Valley had been the most physically exerting thing he'd ever done. His only talent was politics, as he had an instinct for what was best for the community, overall. It wasn't that he was flat-out selfish, he was just conceded in matters that concerned him directly. He reminded Justin of Jenner, in a way.

_Enough of that, _Justin told himself, pushing the negative thoughts aside. He arrived at the fields to see Jacob, the rat in charge of farming and head botanist. Jacob spent as much time experimenting with seeds as he did planting them, and had even been dubbed the "Leaf Chief". Orion had coined it, and Justin snickered whenever he heard the phrase, as well as kicked himself for not thinking of it first.

Jacob had been one of the hardest working rats before Justin and the others had arrived, and his workload had only doubled as he rushed to plant more food ahead of schedule, in order to handle the sudden boom in population. Originally, he was supposed to have six months more, experimenting with what worked and what didn't, but the plan had been cut short, like every long-term goal they'd had, because of NIMH. He was similar to Justin in build, though a little shorter. They were close to the same age, as well. After that, most similarities ended. Jacob's fur was light brown, almost orange, and he was known for being soft spoken, a rat of few words. There was a deep concentration in his eyes, as if he were constantly working out problems in his head. He was also known to stay up later than almost anybody, and was often seen wandering the halls at night. Usually, the guard on duty had to remind him to go get some sleep.

At the moment, Jacob was clapping dirt from his hands, surveying his handiwork. A simple nod acknowledged his leader's presence.

"How's it look?" Justin asked.

"Pretty good," Jacob replied, leaning over to grab a pack of small tools. "It looks like things are going to be better than I'd originally thought," he glanced at the field. "Some of the stuff is already showing sprouts."

"Really?" Justin asked.

"Well, the lettuce is, but that grows fast anyway," Jacob shrugged. "But overall, I think we'll be okay."

"You think so?"

"Yes," Jacob strapped on his backpack. "Unless there's some kind of disaster, of course. Excuse me,"

Justin watched as he went to a group of rats gathered around a plow, helping them carry it in for the day. He laughed to himself, slipping his hands in his pockets. His right fell around a folded sheet of paper that had been on his mind most of the day, a letter to him he hadn't expected to get. He'd read so many times it was now memorized, the words repeating over and over in his head. Even as he felt it, he was going over the letter, beginning to end.

It had been a big surprise when the letter arrived, in a fury of black feathers. The commotion had gathered a large group, including all those outside and those near enough to the entrance to hear what was going on. There had also been a group of school children who, coincidentally, had been learning about birds that week. When Justin had arrived, the bird, who he'd found out was named Jeremy, had been showing the children how far he could spread his wings, and generally trying to impress them. He'd become so involved with showing off he'd almost forgotten to pass the note on to Justin. Several rats around him were curious, but they'd lost interest when they'd found out who it was from. It wasn't they hadn't cared, they'd been glad to hear of NIMH's departure from the farm, they'd just felt it was more a letter written specifically for their leader, and they'd left him alone with it.

As he stood looking over the farmland, he found himself pulling the letter out and reading it once again. He'd recited the first line before it was even open. When he reached the end, his thoughts paused at the different handwriting. His body grew warm just from reading that part, seeing her words, her name. He'd been lost in his dreams all day because of them. He could tell she wasn't good at writing, but knew that she'd tried from how deeply depressed the letters were. He could physically feel the words with his fingertips. After a minute, he folded the page and put it back in his pocket, his hand resting on the indentations of her words. He kept walking the perimeter of the farmland, simply lost in thought, only returning to the entrance when the sun had touched the horizon. There were a few rats there when he arrived, grouped around a large metal box extending from the hillside.

It was an intercom, linked to a large network inside that allowed them to communicate across long distances without walking them. It could be used to get supplies, assistance, or, if needed, as an alarm, all by putting in various, three-digit codes on a phone-like keypad. At the push of a button, it was possible for someone to speak to the entire lair. It was more of a convenience than anything else, but at the moment, the main-entrance speaker wasn't working. Arthur, Orion, and two others stood to the side, with a girl in blue and yellow lying on the ground, working with the wires hanging over her head.

Her name was Brenda, one of few females in the guard, and a natural electrician. She was slightly short and full-figured, though not actually fat. Closest to her was Arthur, a strong rat with a stocky build, clothed in a simple brown working smock. He was listening as Orion lectured one of the guards for being late.

"It doesn't matter what you were doing," the black creature was saying. "That's not the point."

"But Cameron said it was okay," pleaded Mason.

"I don't care what Cameron said," Orion shot back. "He's not your boss. You should have checked in. On second thought," he added. "You shouldn't have been helping him in the first place. Let Cameron's lazy ass do his own work." He looked up as Justin came near. "What's up, chief?"

Justin nodded to the intercom. "How about what's up with this?" he said jokingly. "Is it broken again?"

"Yes, again," Arthur said with a sigh. "It's quickly becoming more trouble than it's worth."

"It's not too much trouble if you know what you're doing," Brenda said slyly, twisting wires over her head.

"That's enough from you tonight, thank you," Arthur told her.

"Suit yourself," she shrugged. "I guess I'll have to give my words of wisdom to someone else."

Justin noticed a crude bandage wrapped around his right paw. "What'd you do to your hand?" he asked. He then reached out and inspected it himself.

"Just me being stupid," Mason replied. "I was climbing the hill earlier and slipped. I tried to grab something and sliced it open on a rock. It's nothing."

"Looks like a lot of blood there," Justin noted. "You ought to have Ash take a look at it."

"Humph, yes," Mason muttered. "Dr. Ash, or his wonderful assistant, Alexander. That's not right, those two."

"What did you say?" barked Orion.

"Nothing."

"What's this talk of Cameron?" Justin asked them both.

"I was just helping the guy out," Mason said defensively. "That's all."

"And neglecting his duties at it," added Orion. "Cameron asked him to carry some of the heavier books from the library back to his office," he shook his head. "Typical Cameron crap. Anyway, he made our young guard here late by a half-hour this morning."

"Isn't part of my duties helping others?" Mason protested. "Isn't that the point of being a guard?"

"The point is, you were supposed to relieve someone who had been up all night and wanted to go home," Orion sighed in frustration. "You weren't helping _him _out much, were you?"

"Mason, it's not that you were doing anything wrong," Justin told him. "It's just whatever you were doing for Cameron he could've easily done for himself. He's not incapable of work, he just acts like it."

"Okay!" Mason all but threw his hands in the air. "Okay, I get it!"

"Then don't do it again," Orion told him. "Now, go get that hand taken care of."

Mason did a half-hearted salute, then headed off with his tail hanging low.

"You know," Justin told Orion. "It's really Cameron you should be yelling at."

"I know, I know," said the Captain. "He'll get a piece of me later. That's not the first time he's had the guards do his work for him."

"Speaking of other people's work," Justin said playfully. "Arthur, why is Brenda lying on the ground with her hands in _your _intercom?"

"Hey, what can I say," the big rat said in mock defense. "She's a woman; she's got small hands. We have to find _some _use for her."

Brenda's hands dropped to her sides. She looked at him from the ground. "Small hands, eh?" She glanced at Justin and Orion, then back at Arthur, more specifically a peak under his shirt. "From my point of view, that's not the only thing that's small," she said, going back to the wires.

"Whoa, hey, now," Justin said. He and Orion stepped back, laughing. "The last thing we need is sexual harassment on the job."

"Oh, there's nothing harassing about it," she winked at him.

"What was that comment Mason made about Ash?" he asked Orion.

"I don't know," the guard shrugged. "I've heard a couple others say unpleasant things about Ash and Alexander, but I have no idea what they mean."

"They're probably just a bunch of babies who don't like going to the doctor," said Arthur.

Brenda closed the intercom and stood up. "I think that about does it for this piece of junk."

"Piece of junk?" Arthur protested.

"Oh, I'm sorry," she ran her fingers down the metal box, taking on the personality of a cheerleader. "It's really a _fabulous _invention. Whoever designed it must be a genius."

Arthur was nose-to-nose with her, his words slow and deliberate, as he said, "Why don't you make this _genius _happy and test it out?"

Justin and Orion could tell there was more to the conversation than playful banter. Brenda drummed her fingers on the edge before jogging off down the corridor. After a moment, her voice came through the speaker. "_Can you boys hear me?_"

Arthur pressed the button and replied, "We can hear that lovely voice loud and clear, Brenda."

"_You men would be helpless without me._"

"So, Brenda," Arthur continued. "About that remark you made. Would you be interested in finding out the truth behind that?"

After a long pause, she said, "_We'll see._"

Justin started laughing again. "C'mon, let's get inside."

"We're coming up," said Arthur.

"_I said, 'we'll see'."_

The trio walked down the hall as the sun vanished completely outside.

"Who's on guard tonight?" Arthur asked.

"Jessica," said Orion. "So, tell me, Arthur, how long have you been fornicating with my young guard, Brenda?"

Arthur gave him a sidelong glance. "Longer than you can imagine."

Justin laughed again as they went on, hands in his pockets, fingers on his letter.

(****)

Darkness blanketed the sky over Thorn Valley. There was no moon, and without clouds the stars glowed vibrantly. Jenner hugged the trees and brush as he approached the lair. He could make out the entrance easily by its nightlights. He main hallway was also lit up, an upside-down runway stretching back into the hillside. He used his black cape and the shadows for cover, able to get quite close without the guard noticing. When he got close enough to see who it was, Jenner laughed bitterly.

_Jessica? _He thought. _That little scrap, a guard? _He crouched low to the ground and watched her movements. He knew the layout, having seen many plans and the final design he'd tried to find flaws in. He hated the idea of Thorn Valley altogether, but decided he might as well capitalize on its weaknesses, since the colony was already there.

And one of those weaknesses was the night guard. There was only one at the entrance, with just the nightshift commander checking on his rounds. All he needed was some sort of distraction, to get her out of the way so he could slip inside. Though he knew he could take her in a fight, he didn't want to run the risk of her sounding the alarm. He watched her, sitting on a footstool and looking deep in thought as she stared out at the horizon. He could actually get within a few feet of the door without her noticing, but it wasn't close enough.

Jenner went through several options in his head, trying to find the best course of action. He studied the hillside, deciding it wasn't too steep to climb silently, then judged if he could throw something hard enough to disturb the surrounding foliage. He silently gathered a few sticks and leaves, stacking them close together in pile. He grabbed a rock, one that wasn't too heavy to throw, though had enough weight to make noise, and slipped it in his pocket. He made his way to the hillside, climbing as softly as he could, trying not to grunt or even breathe too loudly. As he ascended, he kept his eye on Jessica, who still sat, oblivious to his presence The light from the entrance shined a few feet into the field, though not on the hill itself, keeping him in darkness. He climbed several feet up the face, edging slowly to left, toward the entrance. Lying on his stomach, he crawled hand-over-hand, always getting a firm grip on the soil before advancing. He was now three feet above the entrance, and studied the girl sitting to right of the doorway. There was a slight lip in the hillside, a ledge where he could rest and use as a shield to hide behind. He edged as close to it as he could, accidentally disturbing loose soil. He held his breath, listening as it skirted down the hill's face, landing right on Jessica's shoulder.

Slightly startled, the young guard stood, taking a step, gazing at the hill. Jenner held himself still as he could, fighting the reflex to gasp for air as her eyes met his. She stared at the hill for several seconds then, unable to see anything, turned back to the entrance. Her eyes had adjusted to the night, the hall's glow blurring her vision as she brushed the soil away, settling back on her stool. Relaxing slightly, Jenner released what little breath he had, keeping a firm grip on the soil. He waited for her awareness to drop, watching the back of her head as she fell back into a rhythmic breathing pattern. Then he moved his body into a new position, hand slipping to his pocket, eyes never leaving her head. He gripped hard on the rock, rising just enough to spot the pile of leaves he'd made earlier, and drew his arm back.

Barely making a sound, he heaved the stone across the distance, hugging the ground as it smacked the foliage. Jessica rose at the noise, moving slowly. She was still so long he thought she wouldn't take the bait, but then she walked inside, coming back out alone, a keychain flashlight in her hands. His plan had worked, but still he waited, wanting enough space between them so he could get inside without catching her attention. He watched as she walked deliberately toward the tree line, then stopped. The moments went by like hours, then she switched on the light, walking further into the field. He watched as she went one yard, then two. When she'd gone three, he went for it, dashing down the hill, grasping the edge of the tunnel's roof, swinging down and in. He threw himself as far as he could, feet landing with a thud that sounded impossibly loud, looking back to see she hadn't noticed. He hen sprinted down the empty hall, stopping at the hanger-like doors of the storeroom. They were unlocked, and he pulled one open just enough to get inside, slamming it shut behind him.

He fumbled a minute in the dark, eventually flicking on the light switch. It was a cavernous chamber, filled with appeared to be piles of trash thrown aimlessly about, when in fact, it was the possessions the rats had yet decided what to do with. And somewhere among the piles, Jenner began looking for the possessions he'd come for.

(****)

Orion had made his usual rounds after coming inside, hitting every point a guard was stationed. His shift had ended hours ago, but he liked being visible to the lair at all hours of the day. It was an extra incentive for his men, and women, to stay aware. It let them know he didn't tolerate tardiness or laziness on the job, and it let him see those he normally didn't get to during the day. There was no real reason to do the extra time, but he felt it was something every good Captain should do. He'd gotten the idea from Justin when he'd been Captain.

It was nearly eleven when he got home, which was later than usual for him. Most of the halls were empty, and the overhead lights had automatically dimmed. His apartment was off the second entrance, close to the school, library, and Nicodemus' quarters. The pick had been intentional, as Sarah, who lived with him, worked as a teacher for younger children, as well as a daycare provider for those not yet old enough for school. He shut the door slowly as he entered, hearing sounds from the bedroom that signified his love was still awake. She was sitting at her desk, scribbling away on a sheet of paper. She'd turned off the overhead light, working by the glow of a candle. He stood in the doorway, stretching his arms up with a yawn. He grasped the top of the frame and leaned forward.

"You know that's not good for your eyes," he told her.

"I know," she said soft, not looking up. "I just try to conserve when I can."

"What're you working on?" he asked, and made a half-hearted attempt to see.

"The daycare schedule for next week," she replied. Sarah was also the head of her department, and made out the schedules for the rats who rotated as daycare and teaching assistants.

"Oh." Orion undressed, taking off his sleeveless black vest and shirt. He tossed the shirt on a pile of dirty clothes, folding the vest for the next day. He stood silently, rubbing his eyes, looking at the clock on the wall, really a watch face. He groaned slightly, realizing he only had seven hours before he had to relieve Castor from duty. He flopped on he bed. "I gotta quit doing these late nights all the time."

She hummed in agreement, not taking her eyes from her work. Orion watched her from the bed, studying ever arch and curve of her body from beneath her semi-transparent nightgown. Her fur was a soft light brown, with white going from the bottom of her muzzle to her thighs, a color scheme that contrasted perfectly with Orion's solid black coat. She also had a slim, delicate build, though without being skinny. She was slightly older than he was, having been born to originals, but that didn't really matter to anyone. Age became meaningless to them once someone reached maturity.

Orion stretched more as he lay in bed. "You know Brenda, the guard?" he asked.

She paused a moment. "Yeah, I know her," she said. "We were in the same class. Why?"

"Did you know she's got a thing going with Arthur?"

"With _Arthur_?" she chuckled. "How long's _that_ been going on?"

He shook his head. "I don't know, I just found out about it today."

She let out a, "Hmm," then went back to her schedule.

"What?"

"Oh, nothing," she said softly. "It's just that…they make a cute couple."

He grunted in agreement, once more studying her in the candlelight. The orange flame danced and flickered, casting a soft glow to her fur.

_God, she looks beautiful. _Salacious thoughts began streaming into his mind. At first, he fought the urge, then realized she still had a few days until the schedule was due, and that a little distraction wouldn't hurt. He rolled out of bed, creeping up behind her and slipping his arms around her waist. He held her to his bare skin, gently kissing her neck before whispering, "We make a cute couple, too."

She raised an eyebrow, smiling as she once more hummed in agreement. He nuzzled her cheek with his nose.

"It's nice to see you smile, too."

"It's nice to smile," she said. She put down her pencil, not having any desire to take it back up.

"You know what'll make you smile more?" he asked, hiding his mischief.

"Tell me."

"This." His hands moved slowly toward her abdomen, then he arched his fingers and dove into a full-on tickle frenzy. Pinned within his arms, she could do little more than kick her feet, squealing with laughter. She grabbed his wrists, trying desperately to break his grasp.

"Stop, stop!" she shrieked, out of breath. Her sides ached from laughter.

"Stop?" he asked without doing so."

"Yes, stop it! Ahh, stop!"

His arms suddenly clamped around her, his breath slightly heavy from the struggle.

"Okay, I'll stop."

He held still a moment, watching as she cried tears of joy and fought to catch her breath.

"On second thought," he decided, smiling. "No, I won't."

He lifted her as she shrieked again, throwing her on the bed and pouncing on her. He restarted his attack, rubbing his muzzle against her equally ticklish neck. Now completely helpless, Sarah could only scream with laughter, trying to pound on his back in a futile attempt to stop her joyful agony. She tried kicking free, but it only caused greater friction. She eventually managed to get both hands on his chest, trying to push him away.

"Stop, I give up!" she gasped breathlessly. "Stop!"

With lightning-fast reflexes, he grabbed her wrists and pinned her arms above her head, ending his tickle onslaught. He looked down at her exhausted body beneath him, watching tears of laughter stream from her eyes. He hadn't seen her this happy in years.

"You give up?" he asked.

She panted. "Yes," she said, smiling.

He lowered his face to hers, voice seductive as he asked, "Do you give in?"

"Oh, yes…" she then gave herself over to absolute pleasure.

(****)

Jenner looked at the watch he'd found in the storeroom. If it was right, which it seemed to be, then it was just past twelve-thirty. Most of the rats were either asleep, or near it. He'd found his things where he'd expected, hastily thrown into crates on the outer edge of the mess, meaning they were some of the last things brought in from the rosebush. At the moment, however, most of them were meaningless to him. There wee several journals, which no doubt had been looked through, and most of the other books he'd kept, mostly philosophy texts by Nietzsche and Freud. But what he was really after was after was a new change of clothes, as the ones he'd worn for two weeks straight had been ripped to threads from his nonstop travel to the valley. He also looked for his weapons. Aside from a sword, he owned several knives, carved by hand in a variety of shapes and sizes.

He bundled up some clothes to take with him, planning on changing after he got a chance to bathe. He thought about grabbing a new cape, dismissing the idea since that was mostly for show, and would only snag on tree branches. He also went for the knives, finding a few in one box, frowning when he saw some were missing. He found what looked to be another box of his, buried beneath two others. He grabbed them, suppressing a grunt as he heaved them aside. He figured he should've just tried moving one at a time, because whatever was in them, it was heavy. Then he pulled the uncovered crate closer, pulling off the top to reveal the rest of his collection, as well as more of his books and journals. Whoever had packed them hadn't been careful.

He squatted down, shifting through the dozens of blades, deciding which ones to take with him, for the time being. He grabbed one that was a smaller version of his sword, admiring the blade's sharpness. As he did, he leaned back on his heels and lost his balance, falling back into the two boxes he'd just moved, sending them crashing to the floor.

The clatter was thunderous, as both crates contained bits and pieces of different machines. Bolts, gears, pipes, motors, and other leftovers crashed against each other, surely alerting anyone within a hundred feet of his presence. Cursing himself, he scrambled to his feet and lunged at the door, putting his ear against it and listening for footsteps. His fur stood on end as he realized, if Jessica sounded the alarm, he was doomed. Remarkably, no such thing happened. She didn't even get on the intercom to report the noise. He heard her steps as she came to investigate.

_Stupid girl, _he thought to himself. Either she thought someone was working late, or something had just fallen on its own. Whichever it was, he decided to take advantage of her gullibility. Jenner flipped off the light, feeling his way behind some crates nearby, waiting in the darkness. He could see the shadows of her feet in the slim line of light beneath the doors, watched as she stopped.

_No, come in here now!_ He suddenly feared she'd do the right thing and call for backup. _Come on, you stupid girl, come in and see for yourself! _He held still in his crouch, ignoring his tense muscles, feeling adrenaline rush through his veins. His body was tightly wound, a trap waiting to spring open. Jessica knocked loudly, a moment later bringing the door open, peering into the darkness. Light crept inside, but on the opposite side from Jenner's hiding place.

"Hello?" Jessica's light voice echoed against the bare walls. She looked from side to side in the gloom. "Is anyone in here?" she paused again, then slowly stepped inside, shutting the door and putting on the light at the same time. Before she could realize it, she was sprawled on the floor, tackled by some force that was still holding her down. Pinned on her stomach, she fought desperately to see her attacker, recognizing the weight upon her and struggling even more violently. Finally, she managed to roll on her back, voice trembling as she cried, "Jenner!" she was stunned, not sure what to do.

"Jessica," his voice was calm, almost purring her name. "What's a little girl like you doing here, all by herself?" as he spoke, his eyes slowly drifted up and down her body, as though examining it in some way. He was nearly twice her size, and could easily overpower her. Disgusted and dismayed, she struggled to get free. Jenner wasn't being careful, and she managed a hard blow to his chest. It knocked some of the wind out of him, making his grip loosen enough for her to squirm free. She tried running past his bent-over body, but he recovered quickly, grasping her ankle and sent her crashing back to the ground. Then he clenched her ankle with both hands, throwing her like a baseball bat into the rock wall. Her body landing with a violent thud, her mind became overwhelmed with fright and pain. Gasping for breath, she saw his sword lying on the floor, scrambling for it on her hands and knees.

Jenner moved back, watching as she stood, holding the blade defensively in front of her. She'd been injured, blood trickling from her lip, her right leg limping, her body covered in dust. He knew she was no stranger to handling a sword, as it was a required skill to become a guard, but he knew also that he had more experience, and that he was thinking far more clearly than she was. She swung wildly, Jenner avoiding it easily and placing himself between her and the door. He was unarmed, yet had the advantage. She swung again, Jenner again avoiding it, moving closer to her. Then she backpedaled, breath ragged and nervous, eyes wide and hands shaking. Jenner stayed calm, advancing slowly toward her, arms out and ready to grab her.

Sizing up the distance, Jessica leapt forward, swinging at his throat. He ducked, but she brought the blade quickly down and forward, still trying to stab him. He sidestepped, grabbing her wrist and rolling into her body, slamming her head with his elbow. The blow made her drop the sword, but he kept his grip on her and with one move had her body pinned in front of him, her back to his chest, his left arm wrapped tightly around her. This time he trapped her with all his strength, knowing it was a grip she couldn't free herself from. All she could do now was feel him breath on her cheek, wince as his claws dug into arm, as he showed his triumph.

"What's the matter, Jessica?" he asked, voice psychotically soothing. "All that training gone to waste?"

He held his head right next to hers, making it impossible for her to see him. "You know I didn't just beat you," he continued. "You beat yourself. You made a rookie mistake, reacting blindly, leaving yourself wide open. You must feel so pathetic…"

She could hear the joy in his voice, knew he smiled triumphantly when he finished.

"What do you want?" she demanded. She tried struggling, but it only tightened his already-crushing grasp.

"What do I want?" he repeated it slowly, as though it actually meant something. "Well, my dear, there are plenty of things that I want," his lips moved directly to her ear. "And also plenty of things I…_need._"

She was desperate, speaking quickly. "If you let me do, I'll see what I can do."

He paused, pretending to think about it. "No," he said at last. "I think I'll just…_take _what I want…"

His right hand had been free, and now it began roaming Jessica's body, her struggles useless as he ran his claws up her thigh to her back, over her shoulder with pseudo-sensuality. She froze, helpless as he pulled a knife from his belt, knowing any attempt to escape now would only get her killed. He brought the point to he chin, pressing gently. All she could do was hold her breath in fright. He traced the edge of her chin and brought the blade over the contours of her throat, down to the collar of her shirt. He slid his blade along the seam, slicing off a button with a move that made her shudder. Two more buttons met that fate before he tucked the blade away, sliding his hand slowly between her breasts, gripping her left one tightly and licking the inside of her ear. When she flinched away in disgust, he only laughed.

He tenderly began massaging her breast, kissing her neck, his ego increasing with her soft whimpers. He relished his victory over her, and he was going to humiliate her. He released her breast, right hand tracing back down her thigh, then hiked up her shirt and slid across her bare abdomen. She began crying, yet held her composure as she lay in his death-grip. Once again, he hissed in her ear. "You know something, Jessica?" he ran his hand through the coarse hair between her legs, fingers brushing against her most precious possession. "I haven't been with a woman for over two weeks." He probed further, tracing the edge of her womanhood. "How would _you _like to be the one to please me? I can guarantee you've never had anything better." He thrust his pelvis hard hers, making her gasp, his fingers on the very edge of violation. "What do you think?"

Jessica's lips were quivering, tears flowing freely down her cheeks, but she refused to break down. "I would rather die," she said, though her voice was barely strong enough to be heard. Jenner's grip tightened on her body, crushing out nearly all her breath, his right hand gripping her like a vice between her legs. He pushed himself against her back even more rudely than before.

"Oh, Jessica," he said, voice soul-crushing as ever. "You could've had it all…you'd rather die?"

"I would rather die and go to hell," she fumed. "Than fuck you, you son-of-a-bitch!"

His right hand slipped from her legs, falling behind his back. "Suit yourself," he said softly, then raised his hand high, fingers wrapped around a knife. He drove it into her ribcage, straight into her heart. She tried to scream, but the blow drained her of almost everything she had. All she could do was gasp for breath as she watched the blade sink into her chest. She tried crying out, but again her voice failed her. Her body shook, Jenner holding her taut as he rammed his knife to the hilt in her heart.

"Shhh," he whispered, watching as she struggled for her last breath. Within a few moments her body stopped convulsing, her voice falling quiet for the final time as she went limp in his arms. Then he released her, letting her body collapse on the floor. "If it makes you feel any better," he continued, leering at her. "I have better things to do than fuck you, anyway." He knelt, pulling the knife from her ribs, examining his kill as he wiped the blade clean on her shirt. "Still," he ran his hand down her thigh, then reached back to feel her rear. "I'm not saying I wouldn't have enjoyed it." He grinned, letting out a devious giggle. He continued to kneel, to leer at her body. He paused before putting his knife away, lost in thought as his eyes traced her curves. The thrill of murder was pumping adrenaline through his veins, and rubbing against her had kicked in a rush of testosterone. Staring at her body only reminded him of his burning loins. When they'd lived in the rosebush, he'd bedded a different woman every night. If it wasn't his wife, Sarah, which it had hardly ever been, it was someone else. Unlike Sarah, however, Jenner was quite skilled at hiding his affairs, either by blackmail or humiliation. Of course, there were also those few females who welcomed him, and gladly kept their secret. But for the past two weeks, he'd only had himself. The hard trek to the valley had kept his cravings in check, but now his addiction to the female body had come roaring back to life, wanting to make up for the days it had missed.

He blinked, bringing himself back to the present. He sheathed the blade and stood. "Too bad you're dead," he said matter-of-factly, then started cleaning up the mess created by the toppled crates. Killing Jessica had been part of his plan since the beginning, though he'd originally wanted to surprise her on his way out, taking care of her then. But now he had to clean up quickly, move out before whoever was on night duty made his rounds and found her missing. Rosebush procedure, and now presumably Thorn Valley's, when a guard went missing from their post was to signal every off-duty guard and form a search party, though on the farm, they'd only been able to do it at night. Now, though, since the valley had no threat of humans, daytime searches were possible. He finished straightening the crates he'd disturbed, leaving the chamber to look just as it had when he'd entered. He'd set aside fresh clothes, his sword, several knives, a sleeping bag, and a backpack to carry it all. He stuffed the things inside, tying it closed when he heard footsteps again.

_The night guard, _he cursed to himself. This was going to get messier than he'd thought. One missing guard was one thing, but if _two _ended up missing, then rats would tear the valley apart looking for clues. His adrenaline started flowing again, his plan growing more complicated by the second. As he'd done before, he switched off the light, hiding behind some nearby boxes. Once again, the footsteps stopped at the door, only this rat didn't hesitate.

(****)

Castor was finishing his rounds by checking the front post. AS he walked down the long hall to the entrance, he tried rubbing his eyes clean of any tiredness he felt. After his last tour, he'd dozed off in his office, making him late for his checkups. But he grew alert when he saw the light in a storeroom, even more when it switched off as he drew near. He quickened his pace, hoping to catch whoever was inside off guard. He threw the door open and hit the light, ready to draw his sword. Before he could say anything, he was shocked by the body lying facedown on the floor.

"What the hell?" he said aloud. He stepped toward the corpse and rolled it over. "Jessica!"

Her shirt was covered in blood, concentrated mostly over her heart. He was sure she was dead, but he knelt and checked for a pulse anyway, mind reeling in confusion.

"Who would've thought they'd make you Night Commander?"

Shocked, Castor spun fast, losing his balance and falling over. When he looked up, he saw Jenner, quietly closing the door with a sinister grin on his lips. "Jenner!" he exclaimed. "How'd you get…" he realized the answer to his question was lying dead on the floor. Getting up, he brushed the dirt off himself, forgetting his dead guard.

Jenner was motionless. "You didn't answer my question," he said.

"What do you mean?"

"I said, who made you the Night Commander?"

"What? You think I don't have what it takes?" Castor asked with a snarl.

"That's not what I asked," Jenner said calmly. "What I said was, why are you Night Commander and not Captain?"

Castor rolled his eyes. "Because Justin, in his infinite wisdom, appointed that bastard, Orion."

"_Orion_?" Jenner fumed.

"Justin said Orion had fairer judgment skills than I did."

"Judgment skills?" Jenner spat.

"I told him to take his skills and judge my ass," boasted Castor.

"No, you didn't."

"No, but I sure as hell wanted to. How long you been here?"

"Not very long." He motioned toward Jessica. "I only came for a few of my things when this bitch interrupted me."

Castor glanced at the body. "Too bad," he shrugged. "She had a nice ass."

"That she did," Jenner agreed. "But now that you're here, you've saved me the effort of finding you myself."

"What's going on?"

"What was left off at the rosebush will be finished here," Jenner explained. "I'm taking over this colony, and anyone who stands in my way will be destroyed, just as I did this weakling excuse for a guard." He chuckled. "Castor, my dear friend, we are going to war."

Castor's eyes couldn't hide his excitement. "We'll be there," he said.

"'_We'_?" Jenner asked.

Castor nodded. "Once we found out you were alive, the group stayed together; we've been awaiting your return, Jenner. None of the men ever doubted you."

"What about Sullivan?"

"That fat bastard works for Justin now," Castor spat. "It's a good thing we never let him in on the plans, or he would've spilled his guts by now."

"Yes," Jenner agreed. "In more ways than one. It was a mistake to ever think something of him."

"What's the plan?"

"We wait; I'm going to lay low for a bit," he grabbed his pack, pulling the straps over his shoulders. "Assemble the men as quietly as you can, then we'll have to meet somehow."

"That can be arranged, but you didn't help much by killing one of my guards." He motioned to the corpse. "What do we do with her?"

"I'll take care of that," Jenner said calmly.

"But I'll have to report her missing, there'll be a search party tomorrow."

"I said I'll take care of it, don't worry your pretty little head about her." He paused a second. "How often do you make your rounds?"

"Every three hours," Castor shrugged. "It takes about forty-five minutes to hit every checkpoint, the front door being the last stop."

"And would there, for any reason, be any other rat that would check up on her besides you?"

"Not unless someone went out on their own accord, which never happens this late."

"Never?" Jenner wanted to be sure.

"Never," Castor confirmed. "There's never been any report of a rat going out this late at night; not since the colony got here, and never when it was just the work crew."

"Then here's what we do," Jenner chuckled again. "You made your rounds just now, found her right where she's supposed to be. She didn't ac strange or tired in any way; she was just as she always is. On the next round you found her missing. That's it, she just turned up missing; from there you go through your normal procedure."

"There'll be a search party right away," the guard reminded him.

"That's why you're going to give me time to get away, and tomorrow we'll meet at one A.M."

"That works out perfectly," said Castor. "Pollux in on front door duty tomorrow night, so we'll get out undetected. But, where'll we meet you?"

"You'll find me," Jenner told him.

"What about her?" Castor pointed a thumb at the corpse.

"You needn't worry about young Jessica," Jenner said, then stooped to take the still-warm body in his arms. "She'll not be found by anyone, save the fish that is." His sadistic grin came back, and Castor couldn't help but share in the twisted glee.

"But there's blood on the ground," he noted.

"Then clean it up when I'm gone," Jenner walked to the door, motioning with his head. "Check outside for anyone."

Castor turned the knob and killed the lights, looking outside in both directions. Eventually, he pushed the door open. "It's clear."

Jenner stepped out, pack on his shoulders, corpse in his arms. "Remember," he said. "She was acting normally; don't create any suspicions, for anything, and make them believe you."

"They will," Castor answered, nodding.

"Tomorrow night, then. Don't bring anyone that can't be trusted." With those last words, he walked toward the front entrance, vanishing into twilight. Castor stood, watching his leader lug the dead rat effortlessly, disappear without a sound. He could only beam with pride. _There's no way we can lose._

(****)

Elizabeth gazed at the stars. She hadn't been able to sleep, the decision of her family's moving weighing on her mind. From her vantage point on the large stone, she could see the farmhouse looming above the tall grass in the distance. It was silent, completely black with the night. She didn't know why she hesitated so, now that NIMH was gone. She was relieved, but still had uneasy thoughts, ones of nagging uncertainty that throbbed like a stubbed toe. A chill in the air made her pull her cape more tightly around her. As she shivered, she tried to figure out why she was so uncomfortable with the move. The other animals had already gone to their summer homes, so she knew she'd have friendly company when she moved her family. Her house was protected, would be there when they returned in the fall. NIMH was gone, having been driven off by the farmer, so what was it?

She always got nervous this time of year, but it always passed in the end. But it wasn't that she felt nervous, she didn't know what to feel. There was just something in the air, something oppressive like thunder, and whatever it was, she was tired of it.

_It's Justin, _she told herself. _You're thinking of Justin. _She sighed, knowing it was true. She was always preoccupied, thinking of him, dreaming of him. _Am I crazy? _She asked herself. _Am I crazy to want him? _She didn't let her children know, but she wanted to go to Thorn Valley even more badly than they did. But when they moved, she'd have plenty of things to keep her seemed to satisfy her somewhat, until she thought more about it. What if Justin wrote back? _I'll tell Jeremy where we're moving to, _she thought. _He can get a message to me if he has to. Yes, that's what I'll do. _She nodded firmly, as if to agree with her thoughts. _It's settled then, we'll leave tomorrow. _At last, she'd made a decision she could live with. It wasn't the best idea in the world, but it was enough, an excuse to get going, and once she could do that, everything else would fall into place.

The sound of a twig breaking caught her attention. Her immediate thought was Dragon, and she ducked down on the rock, hoping to hide herself. She held her breath and looked around, hearing noise from somewhere, the faint sound of shifting grass. She looked straight ahead, and suddenly caught the source of the sound. Three men crouched low in the grass, all dressed in black. From her point of view, Elizabeth could their faces were painted black. They moved quickly, quietly, toward the farmhouse. They came from the right, their movements fluid like water through a stream. The sight was eerie, and Elizabeth felt her fur stand on end. She was too scared to move, and could only sit and watch. The men soon cleared the tall grass, moving quickly across the yard. She could see something in their hands, though they were hard to make out in the starlight. They reminded her of the farmer's gun, and yet, they looked nothing like the farmer's gun. They were smaller, stranger, deadlier. She shivered at her description of the things.

The men reached the house and slowed their advance, stepping slowly to the porch, still not making a sound. They went to the door, two on the left, one on the right. One of them motioned with his hand, the one on the right pulling a small metal can from his pocket. He sprayed the door's hinges, then slowly pulled it open. Elizabeth was amazed, as the screen was notoriously loud, able to be heard clear across the yard, but not this time. It opened silently. The sight perplexed her, but didn't even begin to prepare for what happened next.

The other on the left stood in front of the door, kicking it so hard it nearly flew off its hinges. They immediately stormed inside. It happened so quickly she didn't have time to jump. There was muffled commotion in the house, but it was too far to make anything out clearly. There were flashes of white from the bedroom windows, several of them, like candles burning out. Five flickers, then more flashes from the window in the hall. There were three more, then…silence.

Elizabeth released the breath she hadn't known she'd held. The world had become a surreal oddity. No sound came from the house, or any animals. The wind barely blew enough to move the grass. It was all complete silence.

_Am I dreaming? _Scared and confused, she slinked down the rock, going back inside for a night of cruel, uneasy sleep.


	6. World Coming Down

_Okay, so I've gotten a question concerning the content of this story. I wrote it in the first chapter: This is a rewrite of _Darkest Days, _meaning that most of the content is going to remain the _same, and_ I called it _Black Lust _because it was the only thing I could think of._

* * *

><p>The ground shook violently, nearly knocking the mouse from her bed. She woke with a gasp, shocked by the rumbling as dirt rained from the ceiling. The only thing keeping her in place was her grasp on the bed frame, even though it was also shaking. The entire world moved, devoured by a thunderous growl that deafened her. She dropped to the floor, becoming surrounded by her children, who were screaming in terror. The floor beneath them was vibrating so strongly she had to crouch to stay upright, holding her children near.<p>

"What's happening?" cried Martin. "What's going on?"

Teresa screamed. "Mother!"

Timothy was silent, Cynthia too scared to cry out, only able to cry.

"I don't know," Elizabeth did her best to be heard over the noise, certain her cracking voice was barely audible to them. "Stay down, and stay calm," she continued, trying to comfort them.

The shaking continued, a massive, mechanical earthquake. The bed frames clattered loudly, jumping around from the vibrations. Dirt rained down like ungodly snow, shelves and drawers crashing to the ground as the world turned on its side. Yet there was an odd rhythm to the chaos, a pounding in the ground that felt like a great machine. Then with a thud, it all came to an end. It didn't stop entirely, but the ground was at last solid to their panic-stricken feet. The house stopped moving with a life of its own, and Elizabeth and her children all gasped for breath as they struggled to settle themselves.

"Is everyone okay?" she asked, checking each child, putting her hands on their shoulders to calm them, ensure they were still real, that the world was still real. Martin and Teresa were shocked but okay, and Timothy barely looked fazed. Cynthia had crumpled to the ground, uncontrollable tears of fright streaming from her eyes. Elizabeth pulled her close.

It's all right, Cynthia," she said soothingly. "It's all right."

"What just happened?" Martin asked. He gazed at the ceiling, as though looking for answers.

"I don't know," Elizabeth's eyes were wide as her children's, though Cynthia's remained tightly shut, her tears slowly subsiding. Looking around, she gathered them close for comfort, and they sat for minutes that felt like hours, unmoving, afraid to move, that the earth would tear apart and swallow them. Then the rumbling started again. They grew tense, then recognized it, their panic subsiding. It was the vibration of tire treads, one they'd grown used to, the farmer having driven his truck around more than once. But these vibrations also felt different, heavier, and more soon followed. There was more than one vehicle up there.

Snapping back to reality, Elizabeth snatched her cape from the ground, tying it firmly around her neck.

A crack of concern entered Martin's voice, "Mom, what're you doing?"

"I won't be long," said his mother. "I'm only going to see what's happening; stay here."

Cynthia cried out. "Mommy!" she tried running to her mother, stopped by Teresa.

"Don't worry," Elizabeth said soothingly. "I'll be right back, Cynthia. Children," they looked up. "Take care of your little sister."

Teresa held her sister close. "It'll be okay."

Elizabeth crept slowly to the entrance, sifting through the loose rubble that had once been her ceiling. She could feel the ground pulsating, though softly, a giant heartbeat. Amazingly, the tunnel had remained intact, despite the tremors. She ascended quickly, hearing voices once she reached the top. They were men's voices, and plenty of them. She slowly went topside, looking around. There were men everywhere, standing by the house, running around the yard and from the woods, getting in and out of the trucks parked everywhere. They all looked so busy, she was confident no one would notice her. She ventured out completely, keeping her body low to the ground. Everywhere she looked, men were running about, and she made her way to the stone that blocked a large piece of her view. Once there, she snuck to the edge and peered around, stunned by what she saw.

The giant black helicopter looked so out of place, she couldn't help being taken aback, watching as its massive rotor blades spun slowly to a halt. A man was talking to someone inside the huge machine, who emerged a few seconds after he left, taking a headset from her ears and putting it on the seat. The woman was dressed like all the others: black boots and shirt, camouflage pants and jacket. There was a nametag on the front pocket, but her face was different from the others. Her skin was pale, long, high ponytail white from age, and her eyes held a piercing stare, one that frightened Elizabeth. The woman looked around, apparently unhappy with something. She raised a hand radio, saying into it, "Valentine, we're behind schedule, report."

_Valentine? _Elizabeth shivered. _That man from…_

Her thoughts cut off as the NIMH RV drove up the farm road, returned back to where it'd been the day before. In a flash, she remembered the strange men who'd appeared the night before, breaking into the farmhouse, then farther back to the argument the farmer had had with Valentine the day before. The pieces were fitting together much too chillingly, and Elizabeth strained her eyes to read the woman's nametag. Her blood ran cold when she recognized the letters: Schultz. The woman who'd started it all, who'd created the rats of NIMH, the woman who Justin, Nicodemus, and Jonathan had escaped from years ago had caught up with them.

_This isn't happening, _the mouse thought desperately. _This isn't real, I'm dreaming! I'm having a bad dream!_

Schultz barked into the radio again. "Valentine!"

The sound of her voice verified that this was no dream. Schultz was really standing in front of her, and she couldn't move, but then the man she knew as Valentine came jogging up.

"The van got caught in some mud," he said. "Back on the road."

"That doesn't excuse everyone else," Schultz fumed at him. "This base camp was supposed to be set up _before _I arrived, and here I am, finding all of you playing catch-up!"

Valentine could only stand silently beneath her stare, then she shoved a notebook against his chest, saying, "Let's get set up." with an exasperated sigh. The two of them walked to the house, Valentine nervously jotting things down in the notebook.

"What do we do first?" he asked.

"First, I want you to show me the cave you found all this junk buried in," his boss started. "Meanwhile, I want the others to comb through the area, find any animals there may be nearby, any samples that can be collected, living or dead. I want to see just what these rats have been up to." With that, they went inside, and Elizabeth pressed her back to the rock. She slid down to her knees, burying her face in her hands. "No, no, no," she whispered. _What are we going to do? Wait, _she gasped in terror. _What are _they _going to do? She'll find out…everything the rats did…she'll find out everything!_

She watched as Schultz came back on the porch. Men walked past her, still taking various bits of equipment inside. "Look in the attic," she told one of them. "There might be a squirrel's nest, and check around the yard for rabbit holes. Didn't you say there was a farm cat?"

Someone nodded. Elizabeth didn't care who.

"Try to get that, too," Schultz continued. "Look for anything; rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, mice, whatever, just find something."

_Mice! _Elizabeth snapped back to reality, ran to her home and shot down the tunnel. Her children were in the living room, all dressed and worried. "Come on, children," she was nearly panicking. "We're going."

"Going where?" asked Teresa.

"What's going on, mom?" said Martin.

"NIMH is here," said Elizabeth. "And, they're looking for animals. We have to go now!"

"But NIMH left yesterday."

"Don't argue, Teresa," Elizabeth scolded her. "They're here. Now, grab your sister; we need to get to Jeremy's before we're spotted."

She was scared, but there was inner strength coming, from somewhere. She had a plan, and had to escape, had to warn Justin. "Martin, Timothy," she turned to her sons. "Watch your sisters, follow me closely."

She bolted back up the entrance and waited for her children, an otherworldly pressure weighing on her. She looked at the men, all wandering aimlessly, looking for anything.

"Come on!" she urged. In a few minutes they were all above ground, and Timothy asked,

"How're we going to get out of here, momma?"

Elizabeth looked around wildly, but her thoughts stayed focused. The men from NIMH were everywhere, and she knew five mice standing in the open would quickly be spotted.

"Okay everyone," she said, voice strangely calm. "Hold hands. These men are looking for animals, but they aren't looking for us. We're going to run straight for the trees, the direction of the old bridge. Hopefully, we can catch them by surprise and they won't see us soon enough. We'll be safe once we're there; I doubt they'd try to follow us." She looked back at them. "As soon as I say it's clear, we're going to run for it; you must hold on tightly!"

The children were speechless. On one hand, their mother had never been so commanding, and on the other, they were frightened out of their minds. They stood silently, waiting for her word, Elizabeth watching the men from behind the stone. It was a straight shot to the trees, and there were stray patches if tall grass to hide them. Unfortunately, those patches would also slow them down. The men looked unmotivated, moving within the yard, nets clasped in their hands. They spread out further, widening the gap surrounding her chosen path, thinning themselves out, and when three of them had passed, she saw what she knew was her only chance. She squeezed Martin's hand, looking back to see they were all afraid to move.

"Get ready," she told them, then looked back to make sure she still had a clear shot. "_Now_!"

They ran, headlong, into the yard, going as quickly as they could while staying together; Elizabeth, Martin, Timothy, then Teresa, who carried Cynthia.

"There, right there!" Schultz yelled.

Elizabeth panicked; Schultz had spotted them. She hadn't seen her before; the scientist had been blocked from her view, somehow.

She screamed. "Faster!" her hand clamped more tightly on her son's, her pace quickening. She was certain her children wouldn't be able to keep up, but when she looked back, they were all still with her. The thumping sound of footsteps echoed in her ears as they faded into tall grass. They were halfway there. More footsteps came, accompanied by sounds of confusion. The tall blades were hiding them.

"I don't see them," said one.

"Over there," said another. "What's that?"

Schultz screamed. "Use your damn nets!"

The woods were coming closer. Any minute, Elizabeth expected a net to come crashing over her, or one of the children to lose their grip and fall behind, but it never happened. There was only the sound of confused men, searching for what they couldn't see. The trees were closing in; ten feet, five, two…

"I got 'em!" a hunting net crashed to the ground, missing Teresa's tail by inches, the tiny family escaping into the underbrush. They headed straight for Jeremy's nest, the rats' valley the only destination on their minds.

(****)

Justin stormed outside, a look on his face that could peel paint. The guard didn't even try to talk as he went by. He went straight to the firing range, the guard's outside training ground. Guards, new, old, or in training went almost daily, practicing everything they knew; sparring mats for self-defense, obstacle courses where they trained like football players, and a line of wooden targets that had given the area its name. When he'd told Elizabeth they were ready for anything, he hadn't been kidding. They'd come up with a new weapon several years earlier, knowing most of their enemies were creatures they couldn't face directly; it was a crossbow.

The design had gone through several stages, the final product a fairly heavy, rifle-like object half a rat's size. Shoulder mounted, it required two hands to fire, but they'd had to greatly increase the string tension to make their small arrows effective. Doing this had made it nearly impossible for them to pull the string back by hand, so they'd come up with a pump-action system, using a series of block and tackle pulleys. A side effect of this strange design was a loud snap that was heard whenever it fired, almost like a whip cracking. There was also a side-loading magazine, one that held up to twenty more arrows. These loaded automatically. It was difficult to use, but very effective, the weapons sturdy and accurate. Each guard was trained expertly with them, though they'd never actually been used, just in case the time ever came. But Justin hadn't gone to squeeze off a few rounds. Drilling a target from ten feet away wouldn't have been enough. He wanted to tear something apart with his own hands.

Late in the morning, there were about a dozen rats there, all of them off-duty except Orion, who supervised some of the training sessions. He was a little surprised, seeing his boss out there. Even though the range wasn't off-limits to anyone, it was still strange to see non-guards out there.

"Well, this is new," he muttered.

Justin barely acknowledged his presence, grunting as he grabbed a half-foot dowel from a pile, shoving the sharpened end in the ground, twisting it until it was firmly set. He then threw off his cape and grabbed a sword from the ground, bringing it down across the tip, taking half an inch from the top. Then he swung in the other direction, another inch falling cleanly away. He repeated this until two inches were left, bringing his blade straight down the middle, splitting it like a log.

Then he looked around, catching his ragged breath, seeing most of the rats staring at him, perplexed.

"As you were," he growled. There was fire in his eyes as he drove the sword tip angrily into the ground. Orion had never him so upset, and tried to calm him down.

"Need to let off a little steam, Justin?" he asked.

Justin only stared at him, the crack of a crossbow eventually breaking the silence. "I just had a chat with our good old buddy, Cameron," he stated.

Orion rolled his eyes. "Great, what'd he do now?" he asked.

"He didn't _do _anything," Justin spat. "That's the point. I swear, I get so fed up with him, I wonder if it's even worth the effort."

"Of course it's worth the effort, boss," Orion told him. "If you let one bad example loose, then you might as well forget the plan for a perfect community, because more'll only follow in his footsteps."

"A perfect community is impossible," Justin said grimly.

"Yes, I know that," answered Orion, almost bitterly. "Perfection _is _impossible, but we can get as close as we can to it, right? I knew a rat once who said that."

"For Christ's sake, Orion," Justin yelled. "Can it with the pep talk; I've been up all night!"

"We've _all _been up all night," the Captain reminded him. "But it doesn't give _any_ of us the right to act like a jerk."

Justin's fists went to his head, as though to pull his hair out, and he let loose a shout of frustration. Quick as lightning, he grabbed another rod and shoved it in the ground then, taking his blade, swung viciously at the middle, sending the top half sailing through the air. He then shoved the sword back into the earth.

"Feel better?" Orion asked.

"A bit," he replied. "I just pretended the stick was Cameron."

"Look, Justin," Orion put a hand on his leader's shoulder. "Right now we've got bigger fish to fry; there are more important things than Cameron's petty antics. And once we figure it out and get it over with, we'll go beat that lazy rat within an inch of his life, but for right now, you need to focus just as much as the rest of us."

"You're right," said Justin, then he looked up. "And since you're right, you can wipe that shit-eating grin off your face. Castor's coming."

The two straightened as Castor drew near.

"Any news?" Orion asked before Justin could.

Castor shook his head. "Still no sign."

"Have the search parties turned up anything?" Justin inquired.

"_No,_" Castor emphasized it. "I said 'no sign', Justin."

"You're searching the woods now," said Orion. "Right?"

"We're searching the woods, yes," Castor felt like a child, repeating his father's instructions.

"Now, when you last checked on her," said Justin. "She didn't say anything, didn't act strangely, nothing?"

"No, Justin," Castor almost shouted it. "I told you, she was acting like she always does; sitting on the stool, watching the stars and trees, keeping an eye out like she always does."

"I don't need your attitude, Castor," the leader reminded him. "I have a guard missing from her post on your shift, and I want some Goddamn answers; so, if you don't have any, go find some!"

"You don't think I want the same thing, Justin?" snapped the Night Commander. "She was _my fucking guard_! I want to know what the hell's going on just as much as you do!"

"Shut up," Orion interrupted. "Both of you; here comes Pollux."

Castor's younger brother came running up to them, waving his arms. "That bird is back," he said urgently. "At the front gate!"

"So?" said Castor."

"This time, he brought the whole Brisby family!"

Without another word, the three of them left him behind as they bolted for the gate. It had become a truly bizarre sight, with a small crowd gathered around two birds, the family of five mice clustered in the center. Justin sprinted ahead when he saw them. Arthur was already there, trying to keep everyone calm while he tried to get Elizabeth to make sense. The birds stood back, concerned, yet confused looks on their faces. The rats were also concerned, though only because they'd heard some of Mrs. Brisby's comments.

"Now, slow down," Arthur told her. "Just take it easy and tell me what happened.

"I'll take it from here," Justin said suddenly. Elizabeth nearly burst into tears at hearing his voice. She'd barely said his name before he took her in his arms. "It's all right," he said softly, soothingly. He settled on the ground with her, pulling her children close, putting his arm as far around them as he could. "Come here, it's okay." He gazed at Elizabeth. "What's going on? Why are you five here?"

"Oh, Justin," tears were flowing, her head on his chest. "It's awful, just awful…"

"What is?" his voice was still soft, free hand coming to cup her cheek. "Tell me."

She gazed in his eyes, unable to speak. Her children cowering and shaking next to her didn't help. Then he smiled, and she finally found the strength to speak. "I-It's…NIMH," she began. Her grip tightened on his shirt. "They've come back. They know..." she sniffed. "They know everything!"

(****)

Elizabeth and her children were taken to a nearby lounge to rest. They were given blankets, and there were small logs burning in the fireplace. The lights had been dimmed, in hope the children wouldn't be as shocked by their new environment. Word had spread very quickly of their arrival, and many people had gathered outside the lounge doors, to see what was happening. But they parted when Nicodemus arrived, and once he was there, Elizabeth explained everything that'd happened on the farm, from the farmer's argument with Valentine and the strange men that same night, to NIMH's sudden appearance the next morning.

The crowd listened silently, Justin sitting on the floor with her. Cynthia had curled up next to her mother and had fallen asleep, the other children nearby with looks of sleepiness, confusion, and fear. Nicodemus was in an overstuffed chair, his palms pressed together in front of him. Brutus stood behind him, arms crossed over his chest. Arthur knelt on the ground, Brenda standing behind him with her arms wrapped around his broad shoulders. Orion, Castor, Pollux and others stood farther back, giving Elizabeth space to tell her story.

She seemed exhausted, after going over every detail, but she tried hard to stay strong, yet her voice was soft as she asked, "What's going to happen now, Justin?"

"I don't know," he shook his head, then sighed. "This is all very sudden."

"NIMH is far more dangerous than we ever anticipated," Nicodemus said suddenly, capturing everyone's attention. "It's also more powerful than I had imagined. What they did to that family was against human law, but evidently it has the power and authority to override those laws."

"And if they can break those laws," said Orion. "Then they won't think twice about breaking the no-fly zone over this valley when they find it."

"But, what if they don't?" asked Elizabeth.

"We have to assume they will," Justin told her. "If we don't, then they'll surprise us one day, just as they surprised you this morning."

Elizabeth solemnly shook her head. "Thank goodness for Jeremy," she said, sighing. "If he hadn't been there, I don't know what we would've…Jeremy!" her head shot up. "I didn't even thank him! Is he still here?"

Justin stopped her from getting up. "Don't worry about him," he said gently. "He's still here. He said he'd stick around, to make sure you're okay."

The room was quiet until Elizabeth spoke again.

"Justin," she said. "You told me before that the rats of NIMH were ready for anything. Were you ready for anything like this?"

He took her hand. "I said what I meant," he spoke reassuringly. "I won't let anything happen to this community, and I'm especially not going to let anything happen to you. We've worked too long and too hard to have NIMH stop us now. You're safe here, and you're going to stay safe."

"We need to have a meeting," Orion spoke up.

"Yes, a meeting," Justin agreed. "It's important enough that everyone needs to hear; whoever's on duty can listen over the intercom."

"People are gonna need time to get there," said Arthur. "There's going to be a lot of rats in the hall, all trying to get to one place."

"You're right," Justin thought a second. "How about eight o'clock? That's after shift change, and everyone will've had dinner by then."

"That should work," said Orion. "But, what's your plan?"

"I don't know; that's something Nicodemus and I will need to talk about." Justin looked at the old rat, who nodded gravely, then back at Elizabeth. His grip tightened on her hand. "Everything's going to be okay," he whispered. "I promise you."

(****)

The meeting hall was filled to capacity, the giant auditorium seeming to stretch to infinity. It was a marvel to be seen, a technical triumph for Arthur and his crew. The seats stretched upwards, stadium-like, in order to give everyone a clear view of the stage, and the stage itself had a podium, complete with a microphone, and speakers to project the speaker's voice clear to the back. Elizabeth and her children arrived with Arthur and Brenda, shortly before the meeting was to begin. They'd been reserved seats in the front, and upon entering the room, Elizabeth's jaw dropped. There were rats everywhere, more than she'd ever seen, hundreds lining the seats from wall to wall. Old and young, short and tall, male and female, and families, some with several children, stretching back like a field of wheat.

With so many voices going at once, the voice level was like a small roar, though it grew nearly silent as Elizabeth entered with her family, as most of them had taken notice. The voices returned after that pause, the tone of conversation entirely different. Arthur led the mice to their seats, the children almost forgetting to sit, as they were wide-eyed at the spectacle. Arthur and Brenda sat on either side of them, after helping them into the large seats, to help them feel more comfortable. He sat on the left, with Elizabeth, Cynthia, Timothy, Teresa, then Martin, with Brenda just to his right, all of them looking up at the empty stage. There was a large clock hanging above it, the face reading three minutes after eight.

"These things always start a bit late," Arthur told Elizabeth. "So that everyone has time to arrive, since some always wait till the last minute. The only problem is that some people figured it out, and they wait even longer, knowing they start late, but it looks like everyone's on time today."

Elizabeth nodded, but, "I feel like there's a thousand eyes staring straight at me."

"Don't worry about it," the big rat assured her. "You might be the center of attention now, but once things get rolling you'll forget all about it; everyone'll be focused on the stage. In fact…" he craned his neck, trying to see to side-stage, where some movement had caught his eye.

The mummer of voices died down as Justin walked on the stage, followed by Orion and Castor. Elizabeth got goose bumps looking at him, beaming with confidence, the image of ultimate leadership in his crisp, dark-colored uniform, long black cape flowing behind him. Orion and Castor were equally regal in appearance, the Captain wearing a white shirt beneath his black vest, matching hat strapped to his head. Castor was dressed in the traditional blue and yellow, a blue beret representing his rank of Night Commander.

It was the first time she'd seen Justin since that afternoon, as he'd spent most of his time locked in Nicodemus' quarters with Orion and Castor, cooking up a plan that would hopefully save them all. Meanwhile, she'd spent her time with Arthur and Brenda, getting the grand tour with her children after they'd eaten lunch. And to Elizabeth's surprise, the children had calmed down remarkably quickly. _They're handling this better than I am, _she'd thought during the tour. Elizabeth had been worried all afternoon, but she'd calmed down the moment he'd walked on the stage, and she forgot all about the eyes behind her.

Justin took the podium, looking over the crowd. Orion and Castor continued walking, stepping down from the stage and taking their positions among the other uniformed guards. As Justin waited, he made eye contact with Elizabeth, throwing her a quick wink. He then repositioned the microphone, clearing his throat before speaking.

"Ladies and gentlemen," his voice echoed through the speakers and throughout the great hall. "As most of you know by now, we have a missing guard. Jessica disappeared last night while on duty at the front gate. Many of you found this out early this morning, as you were called upon to help us search for her. The search parties have been ongoing throughout the day, but unfortunately we have turned up nothing. The searches will continue tomorrow, and the day after until we find her. Jessica's disappearance is a mystery, and if anyone knows something that might be useful in the search, please come forward, don't be afraid. We are all care about her and are worried about her. We don't want to jump to conclusions, but if anyone knows if she purposely left her post because of personal or professional problems she was having, please tell us. No harm will come to anyone if this is true. We only want her safely back. But I'm sorry to say that Jessica's disappearance isn't the only bad news I have. You have all been asked to meet tonight because a matter of grave importance has occurred. We are once again faced with the threat of extermination, at the hands NIMH."

A small uproar spread through the crowd, but Justin silenced them by raising his hands. "We must remain calm at all costs," he continued. "We have faced many challenges in the past, and this one is no different. We have escaped NIMH's hands twice before, as just two weeks ago, we would have been exterminated had we not been warned. We survived that and we will survive this. Fortunately, we have been warned by the same person who warned us that night at the rosebush, Mrs. Elizabeth Brisby, the widow of our compatriot Jonathan Brisby."

He motioned with his arm to where she sat, watching as she blushed, the reaction almost making him forget his speech.

"For two weeks," he continued. "NIMH has been investigating our former home. Unfortunately, we did not cover our tracks well enough. They discovered something that was important enough to sacrifice the Fitzgibbons family this morning, and they have set up a base camp at the farm. We can only assume that they will use any means necessary to track us down. Dr. Schultz herself is there at the farm, and we know that if she has not given up after all these years, then she will never give up,

"However, unlike the rosebush, we now have the element of surprise. NIMH has miles of ground to scan in order to find us. They obviously plan on being at the farm for a while, if they were willing to take it by such extreme measures, but we cannot sit back, for even a day. We must assume they will find us at any moment. That is why we must keep NIMH from ever finding Thorn Valley.

"Tomorrow morning, a select group of rats are going back to the farm, to find out exactly what Schultz has planned. The same birds that brought the Brisby family have agreed to fly seven of us back. The rats will infiltrate and hide wherever Dr. Schultz is held up, and listen in on what she has to say. From that point on, they will use any available means to thwart NIMH's plans to find us. Dr. Schultz must be stopped, no matter what the cost.

"I have asked Captain Orion and Commander Castor to each select three volunteers from their ranks for the mission. I realize there are many of you who would wish to go in their place, and your courage is greatly appreciated, but we simply do not have time for that right now. Orion and Castor will select from the best they have, the best of the best, then those six and myself will leave before dawn, and head for our old home."

Elizabeth's fur stood on end at his words.

"_No!_" she said it under her breath so quietly, it might as well have been in her head.

"This is _not _a suicide mission," Justin said firmly, as though he'd heard her voice. "We will return. In the meantime, I leave Captain Orion and Chief Engineer Arthur in charge of Thorn Valley, but have no illusions. The six brave rats and I will return unscathed; there will be no lives lost on this mission. We're going to play our rules this time. We are _not _going to let NIMH threaten our lives anymore. This time, we are going to take the battle right to NIMH, to tell them we will not go quietly into the night. We are _not _going to vanish without a fight, we're going to live on. We're going to survive." He pounded his fist on the podium. "This is the first day of the rest of our lives in Thorn Valley!"

The crowd rose to its feet, cheering Justin's words, shouting and clapping their hands, their thunderous cheers deafening in the great hall. The ground vibrated with the sound, the standing ovation a tidal wave of strength and courage. They were all as one, and they believed in their leader.


	7. Now Forever After

The temperature in Orion's apartment wasn't exactly warm, but it was enough for Elizabeth and her children. After the crowd had dispersed, Justin had informed the family that, for the time being, they would be staying with Orion and Sarah. He had two motives for the arrangement: he didn't want the Brisbys to be left on their own, and he felt that by staying with Orion and Sarah, they would feel more comfortable with being in a strange environment. They were two of the friendliest people he could think of, and he trusted them both; there wasn't a better household for the mice to stay in. His second reason was for Sarah's well being. He felt the situation provided the ideal setting for comforting her nerves. Sarah was great with children, and would love spending time with Elizabeth's, and he also thought it would be the perfect opportunity for the two to bond. Both women had faced hard times without a peer to comfort them, and Justin hoped pairing them together would benefit both of them.

Unfortunately, when Justin and Orion had arrived at the apartment with the Brisby family, Sarah was nowhere to be found. Orion guessed she must have stopped back by the schoolrooms for something after the meeting. They hadn't told her yet, so she had no reason to head directly home once it was over. They went looking for her separately, in hopes of finding her more quickly, then planned to meet back at the apartment. Justin told the family to relax and get comfortable.

"We won't be long," he'd said, just before leaving. His words floated through Elizabeth's mind like clouds, but then she thought of his words from the meeting. The clouds turned to rain. Just thinking of it made her heart sink, him going back to that farmhouse, to who-knows-what by now. The men from NIMH could've set dozens of traps, waiting for any animal that passed by. What if they weren't careful and stumbled upon one? What did they plan to do at all? What could a group of rats do against one human, let alone a dozen? The thought of what might happen to Justin at the hands of that cruel woman, Dr. Schultz, made Elizabeth shiver.

"Mommy?" Cynthia's voice snapped Elizabeth back to reality.

"Yes, dear?" she was somewhat surprised, as Cynthia had hardly spoken a word since they'd reached the valley. The five of them were sitting around the wood-burning stove, watching the tiny flames dance within. Cynthia was closest to her when she spoke up.

"Are we going to be okay?"

"Of course we are," Elizabeth pulled her close, rubbing her arm. "The rats were very good friends with your father, you know that, and they'll take extra good care of us, as long as we're here."

"But what about our home?" the child said desperately. The sound of her voice almost sent Elizabeth to tears. Her children were scared and confused, and she wanted to comfort them any way she could.

"I don't know," she said at last.

"We're not going back, are we," said Martin. By the tone of his voice, it was a statement, not a question.

"It's dangerous back there, now," said Elizabeth. "We'll have to wait and see what the rats say when they get back."

"_If _they get back," Martin hissed under his breath.

"They'll be back," Timothy shot at him. He was the farthest from Elizabeth, sitting with his arms around his knees in front of him, his chin resting on top of them. Martin threw him an ugly look, but was too tired to start a fight.

"The other rats think they'll be back," said Teresa.

"It doesn't matter," said Timothy. After seeing the looks on their faces, he explained. "About what they say, I mean. If it _is_ safe to go back, would you want to?"

"What are you talking about?" asked Martin.

Timothy made a sweeping gesture with his arm. "This place," he said. "We belong here. We're like them, the rats. We're not like other animals. Dad was one of them, and now we are too; think about it."

The thought threw them all into silence, the only sound in the room crackling wood.

"You like him, don't you?" Timothy said suddenly. Elizabeth sat quietly, then realized the question was for her.

"What?" she asked, surprised.

"Justin," her son clarified. "You like him."

Elizabeth wasn't sure she understood his tone of voice, but felt no reason to hide the truth from them, either. She realized she'd never thought about telling them. "Yes, Timmy," she said at last. "I like him very much."

Timothy's eyes seemed to narrow, but she couldn't tell what his expression meant. Martin and Teresa sat with blank faces, as if they'd already been informed of the subject, but she couldn't tell if they were just hearing about it, or if they had figured it out long ago.

"Do you like him like you liked daddy?" Cynthia blurted.

Justin stopped short of the door. He'd been a step away from going through when he'd heard Cynthia's voice, almost stumbling at her question. He got as close as he could to the door without making a sound, listening in on the conversation. He could tell Elizabeth had been taken aback by the bluntness of her daughter's question, as it was a moment before she spoke again.

"I don't know, Cynthia," she said. "I would like to, I really would."

"Will he take daddy's place?"

Elizabeth couldn't help but laugh a bit at the pure innocence of the question. "Cynthia, all of you," she began. "I think you know that your daddy was very special to me. I miss him just as much as you do, and I will always have a special place for him in my heart, just like you do. Your daddy cannot be replaced by anyone. And yes, I have very special feelings for Justin, and I hope he does also for me. No matter what happens though, I will never forget your father, and I hope none of you do either. But I think your father would want what's best for us as a family, and if Justin wants to be there for us, just think of it as…him taking over for now. He's not going to replace your daddy, but if he wants to be there because your daddy can't then…well, oh, I don't know what I'm trying to say anymore…"

Justin smiled at her words.

"I guess what I want to say is," she continued. "Your daddy will always be with us in our hearts, and he will always be special to us, but there is still room in our hearts for others."

Justin saw Orion and Sarah coming towards him. Orion was about to speak when Justin signaled him to be silent. He listened a bit more, and once he thought the children were satisfied with Elizabeth's answer, he whispered to Orion, "Okay, go on."

"What about you?"

"No, I think I should be absent for now," Justin straightened. "Go on without me, tell them I had some things to do. I'll be in my office, though," with that, he patted the guard on the shoulder, nodding at Sarah before jogging off into the darkness.

"What was that about?" asked Sarah.

Orion shrugged, not letting it puzzle him for long. "I don't know, but come on, let's introduce ourselves."

(****)

Cameron was one of the highest-ranking rats on the council. He'd practically been second in command before the old ways had been abolished several years earlier. That was back before they'd had a large council deciding the colony's fate. Nicodemus had abolished the feudal-like system, because he'd felt too many people like Cameron were abusing their power. He'd been right, but after the old system had broken up, most of the rats who'd had a lot of power had simply assumed their roles in the new government without much complaint, but Cameron could not accept his powerlessness. He had grown too accustomed to it, and he wanted it back. That was why he'd secretly aligned himself with Jenner, who'd also lost power with the destruction of the old ways.

What angered Cameron the most was that, while he'd decreased in rank, Justin and Arthur, two rats he'd once been equal to, had maintained their power and influence with Nicodemus. And now Justin was Governor, and Orion, who'd been a private-nothing back in the rosebush, now had greater power than he did. He was eager to meet with Jenner, but nervous as well. The two had been conspiring for a long time, but he'd always thought of Jenner as a usurper. He feared that, if they ever did gain power, that Jenner would cast him aside. Unfortunately, he had little choice but to go along with it anyway, because if he didn't, and Jenner attained power without him, he'd definitely never have a chance of anything then.

He was escorted to the midnight gathering by his wife Sasha, Pollux, and Mason; it wasn't far from the lair, but enough that it remained secret. This was to be the group's first meeting since before Jenner had tried to kill Nicodemus. No one had been informed of his plan that night, and while it wasn't unheard-of for Jenner to do things without the group's consent or input, he'd never attempted something that drastic, and that angered Cameron.

"He's got a lot of explaining to do," Cameron told his wife as they walked. He almost always wore his silk councilman robes, no matter what he did, even if such a garment was completely unsuited for the task he was doing. But at any meeting, there was one thing everyone had in common: a red sash over their right shoulder, signifying their rightful membership to the group. The only one who made them was Jenner, and he was also the only one who could give them out, to those he deemed fit.

"He doesn't have to explain anything to you, Cameron," Sasha said coolly. Cameron shot her a sidelong glance, one she easily countered with her own look. He said nothing to her comment. In a few minutes they reached an incline, and below, spread out at the bottom of the hill, was the group. They were gathered around a small fire burning in the center, and it looked like most of them were already there. The majority of them were high-ranking, or semi high-ranking, with guards such as Castor, Pollux, Dietrich, and Mason, as well as council members like Cameron. Sasha was head schoolteacher, in charge of every activity involving students, an important position, since she had control over future generations. There were also the heads of a few other departments, or their high-ranking assistants. However, there were no representatives from the farming community or sanitation department; though it was no accident they hadn't been included. There were even a handful of Jenner's trophy wives, women who wanted his limelight, and did anything for him. They had little purpose, and hardly anyone recognized them, but Jenner insisted they be there, just so he could keep an eye on them. They were little more than his concubines, and he had total control over them. They either wouldn't betray him because they'd been convinced by his rhetoric, or they were afraid of what he would do to them.

It wasn't unusual for him to "loan" one of his ladies to another member for an evening, and it was also common for him to take multiple women to his chambers for his own pleasure. There were even rarer occasions where he would share his women with another member, at the same time, but they were few and far between. All in all, the group numbered near seventy, a third of them guards, most sitting or kneeling in circles around the blaze. A few stood in the back, but everyone stayed in plain sight.

"Well," said Jenner, not bothering to hide his irritation. "Not that we're all here, we can begin."

Cameron stopped on the opposite side and found a seat, but Sasha proceeded around the fire, to the large stone where Jenner was sitting. She walked right up to him and wrapped her arms around his neck. They shared a deep, passionate kiss, Jenner's hands running down her body, pausing to squeeze her rear. It was hard enough she winced, but it also made her smile. It was the customary display for any woman belonging to the group, one he was quick to brutally enforce if they refused. He didn't trust women, and this was his way of controlling them.

"You haven't changed," Sasha said slyly. Jenner simply grinned devilishly, Cameron's eyes blazing at the scene. He'd grown used to the sight of his wife fornicating with Jenner, but he'd always despised it. However, unlike Jenner's other ladies, Sasha knelt right by his side, her arm around his waist. The sight didn't surprise anybody.

"Before we begin," Jenner wiped off his chin. "Does anyone have any business to bring up?"

"Yes, I do," Cameron spoke up.

Jenner nodded concession to him. "Then speak."

"What the hell were you thinking that night at the rosebush, Jenner?" Cameron shouted in anger. "And why in God's name did you have Sullivan helping you? He wasn't even one of us, and you didn't tell anybody about your plan. Just what got into your head, Jenner?"

"Calm down, Cameron," Jenner told him. "Don't get your panties in a bunch."

Several rats laughed.

"In hindsight, the plan I made was flawed," Jenner continued. "But I saw an opportunity and took it; there was no time for us to meet. I also used the chance to test Sullivan, to see if he was really fit for the group. Had that Brisby woman not gotten involved, I would have accomplished my task."

"You seem to forget, Jenner," the councilman argued. "That had it _not_ been for that Brisby woman, we would all be dead. NIMH was there bright and early to exterminate us all."

"A small detail, Cameron," Jenner said calmly. "We would have escaped anyway. Just the sight of the trucks arriving would've alerted us. There might have been some casualties. I understand one of the decoys did indeed die from the fumes, but in any event, a loss of population would only have benefited us. Now, are you finished bellyaching?"

Cameron was silent.

"Good, we can begin, then."

"Ladies and gentlemen," he addressed the crowd. "Our time has come. As fate would have it, NIMH has commandeered the old farmhouse. This is almost perfect timing for our efforts. Tomorrow, when the expedition leaves for the farm, Castor will have already loaded half of the crew with our men. I have no illusions that Justin will not be successful; he is just the type of rat to accomplish such a great task. We should be thankful we have such a useful…tool at our disposal. Once Justin accomplishes his mission, which I'm sure he will, Castor's men will dispose of him and the others; martyrs to cause."

His grin stretched from ear to ear.

"And with Justin out of the way, we will only be left with Orion and Nicodemus as our greatest threats, and perhaps Arthur, to a lesser extent, both of which should be more than easy enough to dispose of. Once they are out of the way, the lair will be ours."

"And just _how _do you plan on getting rid of Nicodemus and Orion?" asked Cameron.

Jenner gazed at him hard, eyes glowing in the fire's shifting light. "Leave that to me…"

(****)

The Brisby children were lying on a mattress that had been brought to Orion's apartment. They'd finally fallen asleep and Elizabeth was watching them from the couch in a far corner of the room. Sarah had joined her, and now they were speaking in hushed tones.

"You're very god with them," said Elizabeth.

Sarah shrugged. "Well, it helps to be."

"Did you say you're a teacher?"

"Yes, but I mostly work with children Cynthia's age," Sarah chuckled. "Sometimes the bigger kids are too much to handle."

Elizabeth laughed. "I know what you mean."

There was some noise from the bedroom. She'd almost forgotten Orion was there.

"Do you have any children?" she asked.

"Oh, no, I don't," Sarah glanced at the bedroom door. "I think I'd like to, though. Orion would make a great daddy."

"Yes, he would," there was a far-off tone to her voice. "I could tell the children loved them. He's naturally good with them; not too many people are like that. You two seem to have something very special."

"Well, Orion and I just happened to be there for each other at very important moments in our lives," she exhaled. "Actually, he's been there for me more than anything, but I like to think I've meant as much to him as he has to me."

Elizabeth could detect a trace of sorrow in her words, as if there was much more than what she said. But the mouse wasn't one to prod. "Maybe its just because he's Captain of the Guard now," she started. "Heaven knows they don't look like each other, but in a way, Orion reminds me of Justin."

Sarah smiled, reached over and put her hand on Elizabeth's. "Elizabeth, I don't think anyone has something as special as what you and Justin have."

The mouse blushed. "Oh, I hope there's something. It's been a long time since someone's made me feel the way he makes me feel."

"You should go see him."

"Now?"

"_Yes._"

"But it's so late…"

"Believe me, Elizabeth, Justin is still wide awake. He's a real night owl, probably even more now that you're here."

Elizabeth remembered vaguely where his apartment was; Arthur had pointed it out to them earlier during her family's tour of the lair. Sarah refreshed her memory with a few simple directions.

"You should really go," Sarah told her. "You might regret it; he could be gone for a while."

Elizabeth looked like she was trying to decide what to do.

"But make up your own mind," Sarah said. "I'm going to bed now, I'll see you tomorrow."

"Good night."

Elizabeth watched as Sarah quietly left, going to the bedroom. She sat on the couch a few moments longer, then stood up and made her way to the front door.

"Mom?"

Startled, Elizabeth turned to see Timothy, still awake, and knelt beside him. "Yes, what is it, dear?" she asked. "Have you been awake this whole time?"

"Yeah, I've been thinking." He half sat up.

She ran her nails through his hair. "About what?"

"What you said earlier, about Justin."

"Timmy, you should try to get some sleep-"

"I think I understand now, why you like him," he said. "And I think we belong here, in Thorn Valley. I mean, we _are _like them, aren't we?"

"Yes, Timmy," his mother agreed. "You _are _like them. But you're young now, and when you get a bit older, I think you'll truly understand about Justin and I."

He paused in thought, then, "You should go," he said. "Before it gets any later."

Elizabeth patted him softly on the head, then silently left the room. Her son's words puzzled her, somewhat. Obviously, he'd been listening in on her conversation with Sarah, but she couldn't blame him. She'd caught herself listening to her children talking, from time to time. However, what she thought was strange was his acceptance of life in Thorn Valley. She wondered just much thought he'd put into the statement. Had he just come up with the idea, or had he been thinking about it for the past few weeks, after she'd explained their father's connection to the rats? She knew Timothy was the brightest of her children, but she wasn't sure just _how much _brighter he was. Would the others reach the same conclusions in their minds? What if some wanted to stay, but the others did not? A million variations of the questions came to her at once, and she stopped in thought. It wasn't until then she'd realized she'd taken a wrong turn…somewhere.

The hallway she was in now didn't look familiar at all, and when she backtracked in what she thought was the right direction, she found it wasn't the right way at all. It all looked the same to her, and she soon lost her sense of direction. She eventually found a group of apartments, but it wasn't the cluster she'd left earlier. At last, she went back the way she'd come, trying to find where she'd gone wrong, and she felt panic start to set in.

She rounded a corner, and had walked a short distance before realizing it was the wrong way. It had a slope to it, and all the halls she'd been in had been level. She spun and bounded back, only to have the earth come out from under her, and she fell on her left shoulder; hard, though not enough to be damaging. A sharp bolt of pain flashed across her back as she tried to lift herself, then she realized something held her foot. Frightened, she began kicking furiously, trying to get loose, but the struggle only seemed to tighten the grip of whatever held her. She fell back on her shoulder, causing more pain, and for a moment she forgot about her foot as she rolled on her right side, clutching the spot with her right hand. Then she looked down, seeing a bundle of wires sticking out from the wall. Apparently, they hadn't been secured properly, and hung at just the right angle for her foot to slip through. She reached out, freeing herself from the tangled mess, then headed back the way she came. She ended up in the spot where she'd originally found she was lost, and though the realization calmed her a bit, the ache in her shoulder reminded her to watch where she stepped.

"Mrs. Brisby?"

Her heart skipped a beat, and she nearly leapt from her skin. Had the voice not been vaguely familiar, she would have leapt through the roof. She slowly turned to see who it was, gasping as she stepped back.

"No, no!" Sullivan waved his hands. "Don't be afraid."

She didn't run like he'd thought she might, and once it looked like she'd settled down, he added, "Do you remember me?"

"Yes, I do," her voice was soft, hesitant. "You were there the night my house was moved."

He stepped closer to her. "Yes, yes I was."

"You killed Jenner," she said bluntly, and he stopped in his tracks. He looked like a child who didn't know if he was in trouble or not. "You're name is Sullivan, isn't it?"

He looked exactly as she remembered him: big and stocky, wearing a dark shirt and thick bands around his wrists. He nodded.

"Mrs. Brisby, I…" his voice cracked a bit. She was trying to read his face, as he looked for the words he wanted, when he was suddenly on his knees, his face buried in his hands. Elizabeth took a reflexive step back. He held his arms out to her, and it looked like there were tears in his eyes. "Mrs. Brisby, forgive me."

She was slightly stunned. "Forgive you for what?" she asked.

Sullivan wiped his nose, sniffling. "I was there that night," he began. "With Jenner. He planned to kill Nicodemus by cutting the ropes and dropping your house on top of him, and I was there to help him do it."

"Sullivan," she tried to be delicate. "I know all of this; Justin told me about it. You were there, but you didn't go through with it."

"I know I didn't," he said emotionally. "But I almost did!" his eyes showed rings of exhaustion. "I was ready to cut that line, use your family. I was willing to sacrifice them for Jenner's gain. But I stopped and defied him; that's when he cut me."

He made a slashing motion across his stomach.

"I would've been dead that night, had it not been for you. You saved my life with that stone he wanted so badly; you saved my life after I almost killed your family, and Nicodemus."

"I don't understand," she said quietly.

"Every night since," he continued. I've tanked the heavens for the second chance you gave me, and every time, I try to figure out if I deserve it. I think of how I stopped just short of going through with Jenner's mad scheme, how I almost _did _go through with it. I feel like there's a monster inside me, and that no matter what I do to try and redeem myself, it'll come back. It kills me to think I'd be so willing to sacrifice a life for what I thought I wanted, when it's not what I want at all. I'm scared of the fact that I might not be in control of my actions, and that I'll throw away this life you've given me."

He pounded his fist on the ground and leaned over, once more coving his face with his hands. Elizabeth was touched by his words and, in a strange way she found she could understand his feelings of uncertainty and confusion. She stepped closer and put a hand on his shoulder.

"Sullivan," she began. "No matter what happened, you have to remember that you did the right thing. You saved Justin's life, and most likely mine too, when you threw Justin your sword, and you saved it again when you threw your knife. Jenner may have tricked you into something you knew wasn't right, but you stopped yourself from going too far. You should think about what you _did, _not what you _might _have done."

Sullivan looked at her, his face stained with tears. "I know you're right," he started quietly. "But I guess what I have to say is…I'm sorry. I'm sorry for believing in Jenner, for what I almost did, and I could never thank you enough for giving me a second chance."

"And I should thank you," she said. "For saving my life as well, but you shouldn't dwell on what saddens you. Lord knows I've done my share of that, and I can tell you it doesn't make anything better. You have to take what's good for you and be thankful of that and forget about the past because it's gone. All you can think about is what lies ahead, and have to courage to face it.

He stared at her, soaking in the words, then, "I think," he began. "That you have a more courageous heart than I ever will."

(****)

Justin looked at the time, rubbing his eyes. He'd been taking notes of various events, writing them all in a large volume that chronicled the community's history. It was one of the many duties he'd inherited from Nicodemus, but he hadn't gotten was good handwriting and a poetic style. He waited for the ink to dry before closing it, stretching his arms over his head and yawning loudly. It had been a very long day, after being awakened in the small hours of morning with the news of Jessica's disappearance from her post, then his encounter with Cameron and the arrival of the Brisby family. All had been detailed to some extent in the journal.

He was surprised by a knock on his door. He'd long since made himself comfortable, and was in the middle of disrobing. He left his shirt partway open as he went to answer the call, stunned to see who stood outside.

"Elizabeth…" he looked both ways to see if anyone was with her.

She giggled slightly. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"No, it's just, I…" he shook his head. "Come in, please."

Elizabeth had her cape pulled tightly around her, to fight off the chill in the tunnels. He closed the door quietly behind her, suddenly feeling uncomfortably warm.

"I saw Sullivan a moment ago," she said softly.

"Really?" he asked, almost to himself. "I wonder what he was doing, wondering around so late…probably going to get something to eat…" he focused on her, his tone becoming abruptly serious. "He didn't do anything, did he?"

She looked confused, then realized what he meant. "Oh, no; he was polite enough. He actually helped me get here, as I got myself lost in all these hallways."

"Huh, that's odd," he said. "Sullivan doesn't usually go out of his way for anyone unless he has to, I usually have to remind him to be polite. Funny that he did it for you."

"He did more than that," she said. "He started crying in front of me."

"What?"

"He felt guilty for everything that had happened, asking for my forgiveness."

"Sullivan cried?" he asked. "What did you tell him?"

"I told him not to worry about the past, and to just try to be a better person, but please don't let him know I told you. He seemed terribly upset."

The idea of Sullivan crying seemed like good ammunition to tease him with, but the look on her face convinced him to keep the secret.

"What brings you here?" he asked, feeling giddy. He noticed her looking away, toward a bag he had in the corner, full of rope, tools, and clothes. His sword leaned against the wall beside it.

"It's about tomorrow," she said, downhearted.

"Oh," his voice was soft. "Why don't we sit down?"

He led her to a small couch against another wall, picking her up by the waist to help her on the cushion. Then he sat beside her, taking her hands firmly in his.

"You're worried about us, aren't you?" he asked.

For a moment, she was lost in his eyes, the dark orbs round and full of life, only for her. She suddenly felt the same way she had their first encounter in the rosebush. "Justin, I…" she paused for words. "Did you mean what you said?"

"About what?"

"You made a promise, to everyone, that you'd return unharmed," she sighed. "Was that the truth, or were you just saying that to make everyone feel better?"

He ran a hand through her hair. "I would _never _lie to you."

"My husband lied to me," she said sullenly. "I'd believed him, too, and expected him back, but he never came. Justin," her hands curled further in his. "I can't go through that again. I lost Jonathan, my children lost their father, and today I lost my home." She lost her fight to hold back tears. "I don't want to lose _you _as well."

He reached up, wiping them gently away. "I swear I won't leave you," he said firmly. "I'm going to be here for you and your family, as soon as this is over."

"But why do you have to go?" she sniffed, moving closer to him. "Surely there are others just as capable. What about Orion, or that other guard, Castor…why do you have to be the one going?"

He smiled. "They're all good men, but I have to go," the grin faded. "I don't know how to explain it to you, but I promise, with all my heart, that I'll return safe and sound; we won't do anything too risky. If a situation becomes too dangerous, we'll back off and find a new approach. We won't do this recklessly. We have to worry about the fate of this colony. We can't afford to take any risks."

She sniffed again, more softly. "When do you leave?"

"Early," he stroked her hand again. "You'll be asleep when we leave. We'll arrive under the cover of darkness, probably before the men from NIMH are even awake."

"My children need a father, Justin," she started, and looked down at his chest. "Ever since Jonathan died, I've had to be both mother and father to them. It's been very hard to stay strong. Sometimes, it's just too much for me and I break down," she sighed, shaking her head. "They're growing up so fast, and they need someone that can help them understand this new world. They're more like you than me, and they need guidance.

She looked back up. "Ever since we met, I've dreamt of you as a father to them, and I've grown too attached to the idea to let it go now. I knew, somewhere, that you'd return, but I…I needed to hear it from you to be sure."

"Do you only think of me as being a father?" he asked.

"No, I think of you as more, much more than just a father. It's just that…"

"What?"

"I think of how I'm…_different _from my children, and from you. I think about what Nicodemus said, about the way you age, and I worry that I might not…"

"Elizabeth," his voice was solemn. "I have a confession to make. There is more to this mission than keeping an eye on NIMH and discovering their plans."

"What do you mean?"

"Elizabeth, I, uh…" he cleared his throat. "When Mr. Ages introduced us in the rosebush, that wasn't the first time we had met," he saw her eyes widen. "When Jonathan and I were friends and we talked, he hardly ever brought up you or the children in front of us. We knew where he lived, and we had some idea about your family, but he never discussed it. It wasn't that he was trying to hide you, or that he was ashamed, I think he was only trying to protect you in some way, though what that was, only he knew, but every once and a while, he would let something slip. Not much, but there was just enough to intrigue me; he never even said your name, that's why I never knew it until you told me.

"But after he died, I felt sorry for you without really knowing you. I became so grief-stricken, it made me sick with guilt, and I began sneaking out of the rosebush, and I'd watch you and your family from a distance. I never said anything, because I felt it wasn't my business to intrude, even if it meant telling you the truth about your family; it just made me feel better, watching your family, keeping an eye on you and making sure everyone was okay. I felt I owed it to Jonathan

"I watched all the time, and at first, I just kept an eye on everyone, picking up little pieces of everyone's personalities, but after a while I started to just focus on you. I watched your every movement, every gesture, every expression on your face. I would hang on every word you said. Then I picked up your scent, this incredibly beautiful scent that just lifted me off the ground. It was intoxicating. I could never get enough of you, and I could never wait for the next chance I had to see you."

He paused, smiling at her, grip tightening on her hands.

"I fell in love, Elizabeth, from afar. I fell in love without even realizing it. I began to imagine what it would be like to live as a couple, and to take care of your children."

She was stunned. She began examining many of the things she'd done in the past year, trying to envision Justin watching her. She didn't know whether to be angry, or embarrassed.

"Why didn't you ever take a chance?" she asked.

He sighed. "I think what I feared was that I'd only fallen in love with the _idea _of loving you, and that in fact it might not work out. I was afraid of the rejection I might bring, had I said anything. I then began to question myself, wondering if I was doing the right thing. I'd become so used to watching you it became part of a routine for me, and I felt I had to do something about it, or else I'd be living in a fantasy world all my life. I weighed the idea of stepping forward, saying something and facing a possible rejection, or stepping away, hoping you would fade gracefully from my mind. I felt certain you'd reject me, and I didn't want to face the pain of it, so I forced myself to stay away, to remove myself from your life.

"When I first saw you in the rosebush, I panicked, thinking you had somehow seen me and knew who I was, and would report what I was doing. So I jumped right in, hoping if that was the case I could convince you not to. I didn't have to worry about Ages finding out, since he already knew, and once I realized you had come there for a different reason, I let my guard down. I tried to act normal, but I couldn't help from acting affectionate towards you, because I'd already fallen in love with you."

She smiled, touching his cheek. "Justin, that is so beautiful…"

"You're not mad?" he asked.

"No, how could I be?"

"There's more," he touched her hand again. "I'd suspected Jonathan of having personal meetings with Mr. Ages. After he died, I went to the old man and asked him about it. You see, Jonathan had been concerned with the aging process, and feared that it would catch up to you too soon. So he asked Ages to see if he could somehow duplicate the serum NIMH used on us. I prodded him to continue the research, and I even asked Ash, our doctor and chemist, to try as well, but to keep it a secret, a favor, just for me." he cleared his throat again. "Not too long ago, Ages said he felt he was getting close, and began working feverishly, day and night, to perfect it."

"That's what he was working on?" asked Elizabeth. "That day I spoke to him, about Timothy, he said he was working on something very important, but I didn't realize…"

"Ages felt he was close, but I'm afraid having NIMH so close could threaten his safety, and all the work he's accomplished. One of our objectives is to ensure his safety, even if it means bringing him, and all his notes, here."

The thought was overwhelming. "You…you mean that…that I could be like you…that I could live as long and watch my children grow?"

"Yes or at least something close to it. We don't have access to the types of machines the scientists from NIMH do, but he feels he can come close enough to it," his face moved closer to hers. "That is how you know I'll return, because I have the greatest incentive to come back to you. And once this is all over, all we'll have is each other to grow old with, no more danger, no more threats. It'll just be us, now and forever."

They closed the distance in a tight embrace.

"I hope you return soon, Justin," she whispered. His body was a warm blanket next to hers.

"I'll be back before you know it," he whispered, then Elizabeth abruptly jerked back.

"Ow," she said softly.

"What is it?" he asked.

"Oh, I tripped over some wires on my way here and fell on my shoulder. It's nothing, really."

"No, no, let me look." He took her left arm in his hands. "It's this one, right?"

She nodded as he moved it slowly back and forth.

"Now, does it hurt, or does it just feel stiff?"

"It was hurting at first," she said, unable to resist him. "But now it just feels a bit stiff."

"Oh, well," he smiled. "That I can fix, or at least make better." He pulled her a bit closer, taking her cape and folding it over her right side. "Just relax," he whispered, then gripped her shoulders, softly working his fingers on the muscles of her back, releasing the stiffness and tension. She let out a deep breath and closed her eyes, barely resisting the urge to lift her arms. He was gradually increasing the pressure of his fingers, all her uncertainties taken away by his firm hands. His movements were magic, doing more than relieving tension on the outside, warming her body to the very core.

His hands moved steadily from her neck, down to her shoulder blades and along the length of her spine, to the small of her back. The tips of his claws were lightly scratching the surface of her skin, and she understood his fascination with her scent. She had become overwhelmed by the tantalizing aroma of his own pheromones, nearly able to taste it with her tongue. Her mouth began watering, breaths growing heavier with each stroke of his hands, and she realized she was living one of her dreams.

She breathed sharply, feeling his lips on her neck, and the soft touch sent waves reverberating through every inch of her body. His kisses continued down her neck, to her once sore shoulder, before moving to her jaw and cheek, and each kiss sent a small tremor coursing through her. Her temperature rose, but what filled her was a warmth comfortable and inviting. Then his hands slipped around her waist, holding her tightly against him. She tilted her head back, and his hand moved to her cheek. He gazed in her eyes, leaning closer until their lips touched, the kiss moist and tender. It deepened slowly, as they invited each other inside, and Elizabeth lost herself in their embrace. Her slim hand moved to his chest. She loved the hardness of his body. His strength made her feel safe.

His arms wrapped around her, caressed her from her soft belly to her curved neck. He ran one hand through the tuft of fur on her breast, venturing along her side with the other, from the outside of her hip to her thigh, then slowly between. Elizabeth moaned softly in their kiss, ready to give herself over to Justin forever. The world no longer mattered. All she cared about was him, the fire of his kiss, his chest against the bare skin of her back, his legs touching her hips. His arms were tight around her body, his hands caressing the most delicate parts of her flesh.

She broke away from their kiss to catch her breath, leaning her head back as he once again kissed the base of her neck. Her breaths became ragged, drawn to the rhythm of his hands. Then he brought his hand up, undoing the knot in her cape, laying it on the couch, the air cold against her bare skin. He stood and cradled her in his arms, all in one fluid movement. She let her eyes stare into his, the dark orbs blazing with passion as he carried her into the dimly lit bedroom. The only source of light was the soft glow from the living room. He then lowered her tenderly to his bed.

The soft mattress enveloped her body, the fabric cold, comforting to her skin. She remembered, vaguely, undoing the fastened buttons of his shirt, and now he pulled it slowly off before crawling over her, letting the cloth flutter to the floor. He gazed at the dim outline of her in the darkness, reveling in anticipation. He longed to savor the moment, yet at the same time was unable to resist her. Prodding him, Elizabeth reached up and gripped his shoulders, pulling him down to her.

Their bodies met, becoming flush with each other. That's when she truly felt it press against her, hard and stiff, their skin pressed so tightly she could feel it throbbing. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and he began sliding his body against hers. His eyes gleamed with immense concentration, as he carefully calculated each and every movement. She felt his stiffened flesh between them, and ran her nails softly down his back. He leaned down and kissed her, their tongues finding each other quickly, and he reached beneath her body, groping the soft skin at the base of her back, pulling up her tail as he pushed down with his hips.

Again, she moaned softly as they kissed, fingers dragging across his back, their bodies equally hot and sweating. Several beads dropped from his forehead as they swayed. Her body had grown wet and slippery, where he'd rubbed between her legs, and now the juices soaked into both of their fur.

He finally relented, slightly lifting his body from hers. Their eyes once more connected, expressing what didn't need to be said. He traced the line of her lips with his nails, moving his hand down from her chin to her neck, from her chest down to her abdomen, then slowly began to guide himself within her.

She gasped as he pushed the head inside her. He paused, letting her relax, then went a bit further, stopping when she bit her lip. The warmth was sensational, inviting, but he didn't want to hurt her. It had been a very long time since her last. What he didn't expect was her hands on his rear, or her pushing him to keep going. He continued, holding his breath, waiting for her to stop his decent at any moment, but she never did. She pulled him forward, until he could go no further. The feeling was impossibly intense.

Justin loudly exhaled, Elizabeth purring softly beneath him, and he let loose a growl of his own, lost in ecstasy as her body gripped his sensitive skin like a warm hand. They kissed several times, never for too long, as both were breathing heavily.

Elizabeth hissed pleasurably, as he again began sliding his body rhythmically against hers, only now he was inside her. Their bodies may have been different sizes, but they moved in perfect unison, moved as one. She'd kept thinking Justin was too big for her, that her body couldn't bear his load, but it somehow did. She felt as though he filled every inch of her body and soul, pushing from the inside out. As impossible as it should have been, it worked, and what magic it was.

Justin gripped hard on her shoulders, pushing his body faster. Her breath left in quick bursts with each trust, bolts of electrified bliss firing through her body. His grip tightened on her shoulders, the pain of his claws only adding to the pleasure she felt. He arched his back, pushing himself even harder, faster than before. Elizabeth's head fell back as far as it could go, voice sounding with every breath and thrust. She glanced up to see him gritting his teeth, just before a chain of rapid thrusts, and one hard, final push within her.

She felt it flow inside her, hot and tingling. Again and again, it filled her for several seconds. Justin growled again, sounding ragged, animal-like, and Elizabeth let go of her final moans of pleasure, chest rising and falling with her panting breath.

Once again, they looked deeply in each other's eyes, each noticing a glow that hadn't been there before. They lay there, drenched in sweat and liquid passion, each staring intently at the other. At last, Justin's arm fell around her, pulling her right up against him.

"I love you," he hissed hoarsely. She snuggled deeper into the fur on his chest.

"And I love you," she replied softly. "Now and forever…"

(****)

Later that night, he awoke from a dream. He wondered what time it was, thinking it was around three or four in the morning. He looked around, realizing he was alone.

"Elizabeth?" he asked the darkness.

No response.

_Had it all been a dream? _One sniff of the air, and he knew what'd happened had most definitely been real. He noticed the sheet was still slightly damp beneath him. He shook his head, getting out the cobwebs, realizing she must've left to go back to her children, all without waking him up, and the thought made him smile. He fell back down, wanting to get a little more sleep before having to get up for the mission. He reached up, scratching his head when he noticed something on his wrist. At first, he thought it was a torn sheet or pillowcase, but then he looked closer, realizing what the fabric was: a strip of Elizabeth's cape.

_Well I'll be…_he stared at the cloth. She had somehow tied it to him in his sleep, probably right before she'd left. It was a small piece, wrapped around twice, tied with a small knot, a good luck charm for his mission.

_Now and forever…_that thought in his mind, he drifted back into sleep.


	8. The Mission

It was still dark when Justin stepped into the morning air, the sky covered with black clouds. A group of rats waited several feet from the entrance: Orion, Castor, and the six rats chosen for the mission. Orion had chosen Max, Archer and, much to Arthur's chagrin, Brenda. Max and Archer were well-experienced guards and had proved themselves very resourceful in the quick move to Thorn Valley. Max was also one of the colony's largest rats, almost as big as Brutus. Castor had chosen his brother, Pollux, Mason, with a fresh bandage on his hand, and Dietrich. Justin was a little surprised at his choices, but approved of them, nonetheless.

Each of them was dressed in a sleeveless black uniform, carrying a bag of supplies that included everything from rope and electrical tape, to bandages, food rations, and small flashlights that had originally been human key chains. Each of them also had a sword as protection from predators, also to use as a crude crowbar or lever, should the situation arise. Justin watched as the two crows paced nearby, occasionally stretching their wings. Their mode of transport was two Easter baskets, stripped of their cheerful decorations. They were large enough for four rats to fit in, though small enough for the birds to carry without much effort. Justin and his men were a slightly heavier load than the Brisby family, but Jeremy had assured him he and Tiffany could handle the burden.

"Captain," Justin said to Orion. "If you don't hear from us in three days, assume the mission is lost."

"Orion tried to make light of his grave words. "I won't have to worry about that, sir," he said. Justin looked over the group again.

"Make no mistake, gentlemen," he nodded toward Brenda. "And lady, we are in the fight for our lives; the fate of this colony rests with us now. Anything you've ever done before has simply been a training exercise, and I expect you to perform better now than you ever have before, and when this is over, you will be decorated a hero upon your return."

Slowly, Orion shook his head. "I think we should change your title from 'Governor' to 'General'," he said. Justin turned to him.

"When I get back, Orion," he began. "I want to see Jessica standing by your side."

"We'll find her," the two shook hands, and Orion noticed the cloth tied around Justin's wrist. "Good luck."

Castor stood by, nodding silently to the rats as they climbed into the baskets. Justin climbed in with Brenda, Max, and Archer and, once everything was secure, signaled Jeremy with a thumb's up.

"Good to go," he said gravely, and the second group did likewise. The birds flapped hard, taking off and going far in the sky, turning back and diving at the baskets. They gripped the handles firmly with their talons, Jeremy's mate taking the lighter of the two, ripping them from the ground as an eagle pulled fish from a lake. The sudden force of lift-off was the drop of a roller coaster, the rats shoved down by the g-force and, after adjusting to the weight they carried, the two crows made their way to the Fitzgibbons farm.

"The sun'll be up soon," Justin said, pulling his bag from the basket. "We need to hurry."

Dietrich gripped his stomach, looking dizzy. "I think I'm gonna throw up," he said sickly.

"Aw, air travel too much for you, little buddy?" Max laughed, slapping him on the back. Dietrich stumbled forward, nearly losing his balance.

Indeed, the flight'd had a negative effect on most of them, and the grounds whipping by at such high speeds had only increased the feelings of vertigo. They landed just below Jeremy's nest, where the two exhausted crows settled after dropping the baskets. The rats planned to cross the railroad bridge from there, infiltrating the farm while protected by darkness.

"All right," Justin threw his bag over his shoulders. "From here-on-out, we're on our own Brenda," he turned to her. "You and Archer stay here as backup. If you don't hear from us by tomorrow night, one of you needs in investigate the situation. If, by one more day, you still don't hear from us, go home, regroup from there.

They nodded silently.

"Right now," Justin continued. "Work on getting those baskets out of sight. This area should be fairly safe—otherwise Jeremy wouldn't have nested here—but none the less, be careful."

"You be careful too, Justin," Brenda told him. "There's a family waiting for a new father back in Thorn Valley; don't do anything reckless and leave her widowed again."

"My thoughts exactly." He winked at her, smiling for the first time that day. "I'll do my best."

"Let's go, let's go," Pollux muttered. The only one who heard him was Mason. "I'm bored, let's go."

"Are we ready?" Justin looked at them, Dietrich, and Max.

"Hey, I was _born_ ready," Max said glibly. "Let's go get that pain-in-the-ass Ages outta here."

Justin readjusted his bag, almost chuckling. "Sounds good to me."

They set out, crossing the grassy fields toward the bridge. After being in the dark for so long, their night vision had naturally adjusted to the blackness of early morning. The air was cool, but it wasn't as bad as the wind chill the flight had created. They moved quickly, in a straight line with Justin at the head, followed by Max, Dietrich, and Mason, Pollux bringing up the rear. Although they'd been galvanized by the mission itself, they were all tired from the hasty departure, and most of them had had trouble sleeping the night before. Not from fear or nervousness, but anticipation, and by the time they reached the bridge, their quick jog had slowed to a fast walk. They were starting to shiver from walking through dew-covered grass, looking forward to the warmth of sunrise.

After a while, Mason tried to break the silence, by his unfortunately crass sense of humor. He moved next to the rat walking in front of him.

"Hey, Dietrich," he said. "The other day, I went up to my girlfriend and said, 'You know, I'd like a little pussy', and she said, 'Me too, mine's big as a house!'"

Dietrich just stared at him, apparently not getting it, though most likely not caring.

"Cause, you see," Mason continued. "I wanted a little one, but hers was…'big as a house'."

"Good God," Max rolled his eyes, glancing at Justin. "Are all the young ones like that?"

"What are you talking about?" Justin asked. "Are you telling me your hormones never had control of _your _mouth before?"

"At least _I _was a little more clever," Max scoffed. "He'll never keep a girl with a mouth like that."

"Ah, youth," Justin said. "Young, dumb, and full of come." They laughed to themselves.

"What was that?" asked Mason.

Justin shrugged. "Nothing."

"Huh? Whatever…so, anyway, what I was saying was how I wanted a quickie, but she thought I was talking about her physically…" Mason continued on, dissecting his joke to Dietrich all the way to the outskirts of the farmhouse.

(****)

"What's it look like?" asked Max. The group had reached the forested perimeter of the farmhouse, far enough from any real danger, close enough they still hid within the trees.

"Not too good," Justin observed the clearing through a telescope. "It looks like a full-blown military maneuver."

He moved his sight to anything that didn't belong there. "The helicopter's almost right next to the house, and the rosebush is completely gone. The ground's all tore up, and there's a few trucks, a few tents. There's a couple trailers—two connected together. It looks like there's about eight or ten men altogether, though it's hard to say."

"So, how are we going about this?" questioned Pollux. Besides Justin, he was the highest-ranking rat there.

"Well, it doesn't look like very many of them are up yet," Justin told them. "There's only a couple of them walking around—looks like guard duty or something." He turned to the men behind him. "We should be able to circle around to Ages' without any trouble—there doesn't seem to be anyone wandering around that area. We'll see what he knows, then go for the entrance under the kitchen, maybe listen in on what they're saying. That's going to be the tricky part, though—getting to the house. We'll have to be damn careful, but I think we can pull it off."

Max's shoulders rose, then fell. "Sounds good to me," he said.

Justin handed him the telescope, turning to Pollux.

"You agree?" he asked.

Pollux shrugged. "Sounds fine."

"I'm open to any other suggestions, if you think-"

"I said it sounds fine, Justin," he said. "I'm sure there's no other ways of going about it."

Justin eyed him, then Max. There was a flash of adventure in his eyes, one that hadn't been there for a long time. "Then, let's go."

(****)

As expected, the group had made it to the thresher with no trouble. They knew of accessible entrance Elizabeth didn't, the lid of a rusted-out metal lunch box hidden beneath the machine. It hung on a single hinge, softly groaning as the wind pushed it back and forth. It was large enough for rats to enter, and Dietrich waited there while the others ventured inside to find Ages. The small cave was completely dark, and the group pulled out their flashlights. Long, eerie shadows leapt from the narrow beams, light bouncing from the green and amber glass bottles towering above them.

Justin and the others moved slowly, the only other sounds loose gravel beneath their feet, and their cautious breath as it drifted into the chilled morning air. Justin and Pollux moved their lights in wide arcs, illuminating the books, tubes and vials that littered the area. Rope and string was tied everywhere, canisters of powder stacked in every corner, on every table. There was paper all over the place, a thousand pages covered in Ages' cryptic script.

Justin moved to a large object dominating the room. It was a human's kerosene lamp, and he began opening a box of matches to light it.

"Put the matches down."

Justin and Pollux swung their lights to a dark corner of the room, seeing Ages crawl from what looked to be a closet.

"Why were you hiding?" Justin was both relieved and annoyed. "For a moment, I thought you didn't make it."

Ages shielded his eyes. "Quit shining that damn light in my face."

They pointed their lights to the ground.

"Do you have _any _idea what's been going on here?" the old mouse continued. He sounded stressed, his voice cracking.

"Why do you think we're here?" Justin asked him.

"For all I knew," the mouse nearly shuddered. "The lot of you could have been one of those men, stringing a fiber optic down here, looking for _specimens._"

"What do you mean?"

"That's all they've been doing," Ages explained. "All day long, those men from NIMH have been setting up traps, all over the place, catching anything within a hundred yards of this place, taking them in and doing God-knows-what to them. I don't know _how _many they've caught; rabbits, squirrels, they even caught Dragon, and I'm not sure, but I think they may have even captured some of the Brisbys."

"No, they got away," Justin knelt before the old mouse. "That's how we found out about all this."

"Thank God they're all right," Ages sighed. "All I know, is there have been animals going into those trailers, but _nothing_ has been coming out."

"What are they doing?" asked Pollux.

Ages shrugged. "I don't know, but all day long, I've heard Schultz shouting at her men, over and over, to 'collect specimens'. I've been hiding ever since, and I haven't slept, or eaten a thing since yesterday morning, just hiding in that cramped closet, hoping none of those thundering footsteps came too close."

"So, they're working out of trailers," Justin said, nearly to himself. "That complicates things."

"What do you mean?" asked Ages.

"We were hoping to listen in on what they were doing," Justin explained. "But I don't know how we'll accomplish that, if they're cooped up in those trailers."

"I'm not sure," Ages said. "But, I could hear men going in and out of the farmhouse most of the day; that stupid storm door can be heard for miles when it slams shut." He scratched his head. "Why would you want to listen to anything they say?"

"We need to figure out their plans," Justin told him. "They're obviously onto us, and we've got to either figure out how they did, or what they plan on doing."

Ages almost laughed at the thought. "What do you think you can do against them?" he said hopelessly.

"We'll do whatever we can, damn it," Justin snapped. "Who knows, maybe this will be a dead end, and they'll pack up and go home, but if they _do _have other plans, we have to at least find out what they are, then we'll figure out a way to combat them."

"What, just you and three rats?" his voice was scornful. "What could you possibly do, Justin?"

"We have two more standing by, and one waiting outside."

"Oh, well then, by all means, my dear boy," his voice was still sarcastic. "Let's lead a full-scale assault on _all _the humans of NIMH!"

"What do you want me to say, old man?" Justin demanded. "We had no idea what was going on, other than the few sketchy details the Brisbys gave us. All we knew was that we had to find out NIMH's plans, then get you out of here. So, you can either come with us and try to help, or we can leave your cranky ass here to face those men."

Ages waved his hands in frustration. "Stop with the theatrics, Justin," he said. "Of course I'm coming with you, but I am _not _throwing all my research away."

"We can't take this whole lab, Ages."

"I don't care about the lab, Justin," Ages said. He pulled out a large, corked vial filled with yellowish-green liquid, holding it with both hands. "All I care about is this."

Justin studied it silently for several moments, then, "Is that what I think it is?"

"If it's not," said the old man. "Then, this is as close as anyone will ever get to duplicating it, but this is _all _I have. I'll need the med lab in Thorn Valley to make more, and I'll need my notes. I haven't been able to test it yet," he continued. "But I _think _it will work."

"You _'think'_?"

"Justin, I haven't the time nor the equipment, let alone subjects to test it on, but yes, I fully believe I have recreated the serum used on us by NIMH."

Justin's fist tightened. "Don't give me," he said quietly. "Or _especially her, _any false hopes, old man."

"And don't _you _question my abilities, boy," Ages snapped back.

"How many notes are we talking about?"

"Enough to fill one of those bags you have on your bag, as well as something extra to cushion the vile. It's plastic, but it still needs to be protected."

"Max, you got the extra bag?" Justin turned to him.

"Yo, right here boss!" the big rat tossed it to him.

Justin handed the sack to Ages, saying firmly, "Get what you need and hurry up, we've gotta get moving."

(****)

Schultz stood on the porch, dressed in green fatigues, watching her men scour the yard and field, looking for anything they could find. Directly in front of her was the helicopter she'd flown in, placed dangerously close to the wooden farmhouse. Off to her right was the mobile laboratory, an extra-wide, air-conditioned trailer, retrofit for her scientific studies. Scattered around were the Jeeps her men had come in, one far out on the land, two men probing the area. So far, she was pleased with the operation, at least, for the most part. She'd hoped to catch a few animals, knowing their loud entrance had scared most of them off. No matter, as the evidence they'd collected already was fascinating enough as it was.

She smirked at her own accomplishment; years and years of nothing had finally paid off, some confirmation that one of her most successful experiments still existed. _But, how in the hell had they'd known we were coming? _She thought about it, drinking coffee in the early morning hours, contemplating as she watched her men work. Overall, aside from that one mistake, she was still satisfied. _They won't be ready, next time._

Her smile turned south, one she saw a company vehicle cruising up the driveway, the black town car obviously dispatched from somewhere in the military. Someone was paying her an unscheduled visit, and she waited to see who it was with her hands planted on her hips.

"God dammit," she muttered, then turned and went inside.

"I think she's back inside," said Justin. The rats and Ages had made it under the kitchen, undetected, and were using the hole cut in the floor to listen to the conversations. So far, it had been nothing but small talk and the names of those checking in.

Valentine stood by the kitchen table. "What is it?"

"It's that brown-nosing prick, Stavros," Schultz said with contempt. "He's on-site."

Stavros was personal assistant to Colonel Sinclair, Schultz's boss, the man with the final authority on the NIMH project. Young and completely by-the-book, he'd easily earned Schultz's hatred.

Valentine's sigh was gruff. "Son of a bitch." He shared his boss' sentiments for the officer.

Justin perked up. "This sounds interesting."

"What is it?" said Max.

"I'm not sure," Justin replied. "But, it sounds like someone Schultz doesn't like too much just arrived."

The front door opened, infamous screen falling shut with a clatter.

"Shut the door," said Schultz, before Stavros could speak. "The air's on."

"Dr. Schultz," Stavros began.

"What is it now, Stavros?" she stared at him. "I'm a busy woman."

"Dr. Schultz," Stavros repeated. "I've been sent to write a report on your progress with the project," he crossed his arms. "I went to your office yesterday to find you gone; why was I the last one to be informed of this sweep-and-clear?"

"Because, Stavros," her voice was almost sarcastic. "You are on a need-to-know basis, and you didn't need to know."

"Dr. Schultz, regardless of the inactivity you've experienced the past few years, this project is still a high priority," he sighed. "I am to be notified of _all _classified activ-"

"Well, now you know," she said impatiently. Valentine glanced at her curiously, but stayed silent.

"Who authorized this sweep-and-clear?" the deskman demanded.

"All the information you need can be found in the folder I sent to your office, Stavros," the woman informed him. "You were probably in such a hurry to check on me that you didn't see it lying there."

He cleared his throat. "Well, Dr. Schultz, regardless of what you think of me, I'm here to give you news that's either good or bad, depending on how you look at it."

"What are you talking about?"

"Dr. Schultz-"

"_Quit fucking calling me 'Dr. Schultz'!_" she shouted. "I know who I am, and I heard you the first time."

"Sinclair has made a decision," Stavros continued, unfazed. "About the NIMH project. Unless you have credible and substantial proof of advancement in your research by the end of this quarter, the project _will _be terminated, and you and your men will be reassigned."

"_Substantial proof?_" Schultz was infuriated. "I am _this fucking close _to relocating, rediscovering the Beta test group! You'll get all the Goddamn proof you need then."

"Are you positive about this information?"

"Do babies shit their pants?" her tone was biting. "Yes, I'm positive! Do you want to see my evidence, Stavros?" she continued. "There was a colony of who-knows-how-many rats living under this farm that suddenly vanished the day before we arrived. When we dug deep enough, there were enough electronics to warehouse a fucking Radio Shack outlet: wires, motors, fans, pumps, pulleys, you name it. It was there. We ran blood tests on the farm cat, and it came up showing traces of tranquilizing agents."

"What does that mean?"

"The rats drugged the damn cat, Stavros!" Schultz shouted. "They drugged it so it wouldn't attack them. These rats are smart, they're thinking. They knew we were coming and they went AWOL. If you need any more evidence than that, I have their damn DNA match from the stool samples we found down there."

"You're certain these are the Beta rats, how can you be sure?"

"Because, each group we went through had a signature gene injected into them, and once the mixture took, they mutated, adopting the gene we planted."

"I don't understand," Stavros rubbed his neck. "Why haven't you been able to duplicate this? How's the progress with the Pi group?"

"The Pi group is no different than the Omega," she said. "There's been nothing."

"Why is that, Schultz?"

"Because they _mutated,_" Schultz snapped."You Harvard prick, they mutated while we were still giving them different mixtures. This was only the second group; we have to know what caused the initial mutation. We were being cautious after the Alpha escape, too cautious. We were experimenting with too many mixtures on the fly. We don't know how the mutation started, what affected it further, but if I can get my hands on just _one _of those little bastards and cut him open, I can duplicate the mixture from the source."

"Is it possible the Beta group may have mutated to the point Alpha group did?" questioned Stavros.

"I have no idea," Schultz snapped. "Why are you so concerned about the Alpha group when the Betas are right under our noses?"

"Because, I got curious, Schultz," said the deskman. "I took the surveillance tapes and reviewed them. I have no idea how you let those…_things_ progress to the point they did, but, frankly, they scared the shit out of me. If these rats-"

"Stavros," her voice was flat. "If these rats turned out anything like the Alphas did, then they wouldn't have left a trace, either. The dosage we used wasn't nearly as powerful, and even after a thousand generations, I doubt it could ever reach that level."

Stavros ran his hands down his face, both frustrated and anxious. "This whole project," he sighed at last. "Just gives me the creeps…this genetic tampering is the stuff nightmares are made of. Personally, I don't give a damn _how _much Sinclair likes you, or your project, and I hope this whole operation gets locked away."

"Well Stavros," Schultz gave a cool smile. "That's why _you're _in the office, pushing pencils while _I'm _out here getting my hands dirty with rat shit."

"You can keep your rat shit," said Stavros, making his exit. "I'll be by tomorrow, to pick up an updated status to give to Sinclair."

"I'll be here," said Schultz, in mock joy. She watched through the kitchen window as Stavros drove away, a dust clouds in his wake.

Nearby, Valentine watched his boss with suspicious eyes, deciding to test the response. "Do you think he was being serious?" he asked. "About not seeing your report?"

Schultz looked, contemptuously, at her underling. "What, are you starting to question me, too?"

"No, its just…Stavros is so by the numbers; I'm surprised he let something like this slip by him."

"Like I said, he was probably on his way out when it landed on his desk. Who cares?" she crossed her arms, shrugging. "Do you have the coms up yet?"

"Yeah, but all the connections down here were shit; I had to hook in upstairs. We're up and running."

"Good," she smiled. "Where at?"

"The master bedroom," he said. "But I still don't know why you-"

"All in good time, my friend," said Schultz. "Show me where they are." With that, she and Valentine moved upstairs, out of hearing range.

(****)

Justin crawled from the peephole, joining back with the others. The expression on his face was concern, and at the same time, confusion. _Alpha group? _He thought. _Beta, Pi, Omega; what are they talking about? _What did it all mean? It seemed obvious Schultz was in over her head, that somewhere, somehow, the doctor had don't something she shouldn't have, and now this man, Stavros, was on to her. And while it was bad for her, it was great news to the rats that NIMH would be shut down, even if it still made no sense.

_He called it the NIMH Project, _he thought. It would be terminated, and Schultz would be reassigned. What did that mean? _Terminated…project…test groups…_

The more he thought about it, the more bewildering it became.

"So," said Max. "What's going on? What did she say?"

There was a long pause. "I think," Justin said at last. "That this is far bigger than we ever anticipated."


	9. Disrupt, Degrade, and Devastate

Elizabeth awoke to the sound of children's voices. Her eyes opened slowly, revealed Orion and Sarah's dimly lit bedroom. The couple had given their bed to the Brisby family that night, waiting for a spare room to be arranged. She rubbed her eyes, stretching her arms and legs. She'd slept soundly, her body well rested. There was a mild aching from the night before, but it was the kind she'd longed for the past two weeks. She hopped from the bed, shocked to find her cape had been cleaned, though it hadn't been a complete wash. Some minor tears had also been stitched up. She wrapped it around her, going out to find the couple entertaining her children.

"Hey, look everybody," Orion said happily. "Mommy's up!"

Elizabeth laughed. It seemed he'd worked up everyone's excitement like it was Christmas morning, and Cynthia ran over to hug her mother.

"What have you been doing?" asked Elizabeth.

"Orion's been telling stories," Cynthia said excitedly.

"Stories?" she glanced at Orion. "All good, I hope."

"He told us about they traveled to Thorn Valley," said Martin. "And how he and Justin slayed a giant snake!"

"Really?"

"Yeah?"

She looked at Orion with mock sternness.

Orion raised his hands. "Hey, I only fabricated the parts that were true," he said, then turned to Martin. "You weren't supposed to tell her that."

"Oh, yeah?" challenged Martin. "What're you gonna do about it?"

"Arm wrestle ya," Orion put his arm on the coffee table. "C'mon, I think you and your brother can take me."

"You're on!" cried Timothy. He and Martin grabbed Orion's hand with all four of theirs, struggling as he gave out false yells of agony. Sitting on the couch, Teresa and Sarah laughed at the action.

"Did you sleep well?" Sarah asked Elizabeth.

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes."

Sarah winked and smiled. "No problems at all?"

Elizabeth smiled as well. "No, none at all."

She hoped her children didn't pick up on the quiet exchange.

"Oh, no, they've almost got me!" Orion pretended to be giving in. "Hopefully, I can fight back…I just hope no one else joins in!"

Cynthia caught the signal, running over and adding her hands to her brothers'. To her triumphant giggles, Orion caved in under the weight.

"Damn—I mean, drats!" he spoke with false anger. "Foiled by the little one!"

"You said a bad word," Cynthia's look was innocent, half-stunned.

"No, I didn't" Orion ran a hand through his hair. "You're hearing things."

Cynthia looked ready to tackle him. "Yes, you did!"

"Okay, I did," he chuckled. "Say, who's ready for breakfast?"

"What is it?" asked Martin.

"You'll like it," Orion grabbed Cynthia, putting her on his shoulders. Sarah and Elizabeth trailed them as they headed toward the cafeteria.

"He certainly has a way with children," said Elizabeth.

Sarah laughed. "Sometimes, I don't think he ever grew up."

The cafeteria could house two hundred at once, though it was nearly empty when they arrived, as most of the rats had either already eaten, or had skipped breakfast entirely. The cooks didn't have all they would've liked at their disposal, but they made the most of what they had, the pancakes and cornbread was easily the best meal the Brisbys had had in a long while. Everyone except Cynthia devoured the rat-sized portions. Afterwards, Orion got the okay from Elizabeth, taking the children to the school wing of the lair. There was an indoor playground and small children's library, plenty to keep them entertained.

"I need to be heading there myself, soon," Sarah said after they'd taken off. "I know Arthur gave you a tour of the place, but is there anywhere I could lead you to?"

Elizabeth was somewhat reserved as she said, "Actually, yes, if it's not too much trouble. I understand if you're busy."

"Don't worry about me," Sarah assured her. "You're the guest; anything you wish."

"I was wondering," Elizabeth rubbed her hands. "Would Nicodemus be busy? I'd like to see him, if that's possible."

Sarah laughed. "Of course you can see him. Nicodemus is enjoying his retirement. He's got plenty of time on his hands now, and I'm sure he would be more than willing to make time for you."

(****)

Elizabeth entered the chamber with less fear than when they'd met, though she was still hesitant, intimidated by his majestic presence and unfathomable ability to move objects without getting up. His new chamber was not nearly as ornate or gothic as his old one, instead a simple, square room with more lighting, although he had the lights dimmed, due to the strain brightness put on his eyes.

"I've been expecting you, Mrs. Brisby," he said, after she'd quietly shut the door.

Elizabeth took small steps toward him. "You have?"

"Are you still afraid of us, my child?"

She blushed at her behavior. "No, it's just that…so much has happened these past few days, that…" she trailed off, not knowing where to go with the thought.

"You have questions, don't you?" he asked. "There are things still you don't understand, that you want to?"

"How-" she cut herself off, knowing full well he was always one step ahead.

"Please, don't be afraid," he assured her. "Ask anything you wish to know. You have a right to know about everything that is happening around you. Is it about NIMH, your children, or perhaps," he seemed to smile. "Justin?"

Elizabeth stopped herself from blushing again. "I do want to know more about NIMH," she began. "But what I really want to know, is what happened, that night on the farm. What did I do, Nicodemus?" she asked. "What happened to me when I used that stone? I've felt a little strange ever since; it's not that obvious to me, but I just have this feeling, like an old memory. Did that stone do something to me?"

The old rat sighed, as if measuring the question's weight. "There isn't an easy answer," he said. "Some of what I tell you may not make sense, not now anyway. It all goes back to when we were in the laboratories at NIMH, and the injections they gave us."

Elizabeth sat on the floor, pulling her cape around her.

"Rats," he continued. "Are not much different than mice, or cats, or even humans; we all have the same basic form. We have brains to think, eyes to see with, and hearts to pump our blood, skin, skeletons, and lungs. We are the same as any living creature; the only difference is how our bodies are molded. Within each of us, whether we are rat, or mouse, or human, there is a code that tells our body how to grow, a genetic code. It is embedded within every cell of our body, it tells what we are, what we do. Our code tells us we have fur on our skin, tails on our backs, claws on our fingers. It tells us we are not very big, but that we make up for it with our instinctive ability to forage and hide, but the most important part of our genetic code tells us how smart we are going to be. We, like all other animals, use our brains to think, but we don't use the entirety of our brains. In fact, we use only a very small portion as normal creatures. There are untapped fountains of knowledge that can be achieved, by finding a way to unlock that vast area nobody knows about. No animal, not even humans, has found a way to use their brains at any greater capacity than we are supposed to, that is, until NIMH experimented on us.

"The injections they gave us were very potent; there were chemicals, compounds, and drugs that no rat ever would have been exposed to. Most of the time, when someone encounters a toxic chemical, they are affected only on a superficial level; we may get sick, or die; we may get burned, or we may recover from a disease. Most drugs and chemicals affect the equilibrium of our bodies," he continued, after taking a breath. "But they have no real effect on who we are. This is no true of NIMH's injections. Whatever we were exposed to, at such high levels of intensity, it caused a chemical reaction within our bodies. Those injections changed us, infiltrated every cell and mutated our genetic code. They changed us, into something different than we were before, but unlike catching a sickness and then getting healthy, our bodies were affected permanently. We began to think and act differently.

"We can only assume NIMH was experimenting on us in some way to make rats smarter, so they figured out what kinds of chemicals within our bodies affected our brain, and enhanced the in some way. We can also assume the experiments went much further than they anticipated. We could learn at an exponential rate. They had altered the genetic code that had formerly restrained us from using the untapped parts of our brain. We began thinking in ways we never had before. Our minds worked so differently, in ways we could not even comprehend, though not all of us were affected equally.

"Many rats, like Justin and Jenner, became very smart, but others of us changed even further. We had discovered realms within our own minds that we never knew existed. We had become an advanced species, far ahead of the evolutionary process. A few of us, like myself, found ways to manipulate the things around us. Brutus has learned how to redirect electricity to his bidding, and some have even claimed to be able to see dimly see the future, not necessarily enough to predict it, but vague emotions were there," he stopped a second. "This is a trait that your Jonathan had."

Elizabeth gasped, trying to comprehend the thought. "Are you saying," she began. "That he might have…that he knew…"

"He may have," said Nicodemus. "Then again, he might not have. Even Jonathan had abilities he was not even aware of. But, the point is, Mrs. Brisby, that the things you have seen me do, or what Brutus could do with his poleax, these events that seem magical and unexplainable are, in fact, a natural phenomenon, controlled by us, due to the fact that our minds have skipped over countless generations of evolution. I can make that staff over there float across the room, to my hand, without even thinking about it, but I have no way of putting into words how I did it; the rules that govern my abilities are beyond normal comprehension.

"And just as we have unlocked these uncharted depths of our own minds, our bodies have changed as well. We can live longer than we were ever supposed to, due to our advanced chemical state. We are stronger, faster, healthier than any rat that has ever walked the face of this earth, but all of what we've become has always been inside us, buried deep within our genetic code. We've always had the ability to become the creatures we are, we just didn't know how to get there; the injections did that."

"What about my children?" asked Elizabeth. "They have Jonathan's blood, but they are mine as well. I'm not different like you are."

"Your children are indeed interesting," Nicodemus continued. "There has never been anyone among our colony that has, if you will excuse my frankness, mated outside of our advanced species. Because you are a normal mouse, and Jonathan was not, we can only assume that his dominate genetics will make your children more like we are. However, that does not mean you did not give your children anything. Your children are growing at a much slower rat than those of our rats, and we are also not greatly affected by diseases the way that your son was."

"From the sound of that," Elizabeth dropped her head. "It doesn't sound like they inherited anything good from me."

"No, that is nor true," he almost smiled. "Do not look at their shortcomings as faults or defects, as they are simply traits of a normal mouse, such as yourself. They are as much like you as they are like us."

Elizabeth sat silently in thought. "Then, what about me?" she said at last. "Nicodemus, what happened to me when I used that stone?"

"That is a trickier question to answer," he replied. "Everything I have told you has become available to me naturally, due to my increased ability to absorb and digest knowledge, but the events of that night are not so clear to me. Mrs. Brisby," he continued. "I was dead. I should not still be alive after what happened to me, but the power you unleashed brought me back to life."

"How?"

"In most cases, when someone dies, they are not immediately dead. The functions of the body don't just stop; they take time to slow down. Think of it as if you upset a glass of water. At first, the water moves chaotically back and forth, but eventually, after a brief bit of time, it settles down, becoming still. A body is similar, only it takes longer to become perfectly still, as it is much more complex than a glass of water. However, there is only a small window of opportunity, and once it is gone, it is gone forever. Luckily, for myself, Sullivan, and your children, our windows had not yet closed."

"But neither had Jenner's."

"Do not think of that now," his voice was a little firmer. "It is not your fault. The stone is controlled by sheer emotion, Mrs. Brisby. I created it as a reservoir for my power, as well as the others who shared my extraordinary abilities, including Jonathan's. They only needed to be unlocked by someone who had the strongest faith and conviction, who had courage and strength. Because of the great love you have for your children, and your desire for them to live safely, the energy you directed through the stone, without even thinking, was so strong that it not only moved your home and saved your children, you saved us as well, and that is why you were so weakened afterwards. Using the stone's power means spending your own energy to do it, and because you are young, healthy, and full of life, you were able to survive. However, such a great feat might have drained all my energy, and I probably would not live through it.

"And to answer your question as to why you feel different, when you send your life energy through the stone, you are also getting energy directed back into you; everything that made up the stone, everything it was given by us, has been absorbed by your body. You might think of it as a scar, only it has affected you on the inside, but don't think of it in a bad way. Just think of it in the same sense of permanence of a scar. We who created the stone had put our own life force into it, so to speak, and now what we did for it has become part of you."

The mouse put a hand to her head. "This is crazy," she said.

"It may not make sense, Mrs. Brisby," he told her. "But there really isn't any other way to explain it to you in words. Much of our power is driven by pure emotion and feelings. You may not understand it in your head, but you can _feel _it. You know it's there, yet you just don't know how to put it in words." He paused, then, "You _can _feel it, can't you?"

Elizabeth sat motionless, then slowly nodded her head.

(****)

Orion strolled down the hall with a lazy swagger, a smile on his face. There was a joke around the colony that he'd chosen the wrong profession, as he often seemed like he'd make a better teacher than a guard. It was obvious there were few who worked better with children, of any age, than he did. After escorting Elizabeth's children to the daycare/school area, he hadn't been able to help but smile at all the attention they gave him; Martin had even made an off-color comment about how Orion might be tougher than Justin. Orion had introduced them to a group of rat children similar ages. They'd all known who Jonathan and Elizabeth were, what their deeds meant to the colony, and at first had greeted the mice with legend-like awe. After a moment, they'd realized the mice were mere mortals, as they were, and had greeted them with open arms.

Not far from the rear entrance, he passed his living quarters, having noticed sounds from inside, the door slightly open. He pushed it aside, seeing Sarah work on something in the bedroom. He was instantly excited, closed the door behind him, and went back to see her.

"Hey," he made a smooth entrance. "What're you doing here?" she was usually somewhere in the school or nursery.

"Nothing," she said absently. "Just getting some things together." She flipped through the piles of notes on her desk. "What're you doing?"

"Oh, nothing," he ignored the bland tone of her voice. "I was just on my way out, to catch some fresh air, when I walked by the door, taking in the most wonderfully sweet smell that's ever crossed my nose. I decided to investigate, and low and behold, I discover you sitting here, looking professional, but also more beautiful than any of God's creations."

He put out his hands, and gently began massaging her shoulders.

She paused a moment, then continued sifting through her notes.

"Are you in a hurry?" he asked hopefully.

"No, not really, but…" she trailed off.

"No?" he ran his hands down her back, then under her arms to her breasts. He leaned closer, kissing her neck and shoulders, trying to get her in the mood.

She loved it when he kissed her neck but, "Orion," she said, hesitantly. She tried to fight the sensations he stirred in her.

"What, not feeling well?" he asked, then pulled her to him, rubbing her cheek with his. "Got a headache?"

"No," she put a hand on his, in more of a restraining way than caressing.

"Then, what's the problem?" he felt her body stiffen a bit, and continued kissing her neck. "Neither of us are busy at the moment…"

"It's not that, it's just…" she trailed off again.

Realizing his efforts were in vain, he let his arms drop to his sides. He stood, motionless, for a moment, his head beside hers. He gave up and stepped away from her. He sighed, rubbing closed eyes. "What is it?" he asked. "What did I do wrong?"

"It's not you, Orion," she said, then a moment later, she sniffed. Orion snapped to attention.

"What was that?" he asked.

"Nothing, I…" she stopped when his hand met her chin, and he pulled her face in his direction.

"Why are you crying?" he demanded, sighing deeply before turning away.

She sniffed again, wiping a tear from her cheek. "I don't know," she began. "I just started having this feeling…there was no one around, and I just started feeling bad again…"

"God _dammit!_" he threw his hands in the air, then through his hair and down his face. "It's been almost a week since the last time," he continued, words coming slowly. "I was hoping that was the end of it."

Sarah's mood swings had calmed since the move to the valley, especially after she and Orion had started living together. Several rats had known about their affair, though they'd kept the relationship secret for the most part. They'd dropped the charade after the last night on the farm, as Jenner was thoroughly out of the picture, living openly as a couple.

"I don't know _what _I can do, Sarah," Orion continued. "I don't know _how_ many more ways I can say 'I love you'."

"I know you do," she told him.

"Then, _why _are you crying?" he shouted. "You've been doing so well, even with all this talk of NIMH the past few days!" he began pacing, hands on his hips. "I thought spending time with the Brisbys was doing you good."

"Orion, stop," her voice was cracking. "Please!"

"Stop what, God dammit?" he threw his arms out. "Stop loving you, trying to make you happy, treating you like you're the best thing that's ever happened to me, what?" he almost smirked. "Tell me if I'm getting close."

"Stop doing this, Orion," she shouted. "You know I can't help it!"

"Yes, you can, Sarah," he snapped. "You have control over the whole-fucking-thing! I'm doing everything I can, but _you're _the one who needs to let it go. The past is over, it's done; I am here _now, _and sooner or later, _you're _going to need to realize that."

"I _know _you're here, Orion," she sobbed. _"_And I _do _love you…"

"Then what's the problem?" he was only getting angrier. "You were acting so happy this morning, and when we had this bit of time alone, all I wanted to do was make love to you, to make you happy. I'm crazy about you, Sarah," he continued. "I always have been, but this swinging back and forth is making me just plain crazy, and I _can't _put up with it forever!"

He stormed off, throwing the dividing curtain aside as he went to the door. Sarah got up to follow him.

"Orion, wait!"

"Forget it," he slammed the door, hard enough it popped back open. She stood, speechless, before dropping to her knees, burying her face in her hands. Tears coming like rain, she tried coming to grips with the emotions whirling furiously in her head.

(****)

Orion stomped down the hall, toward the rear entrance, hands curled tightly into fists, mind a furious thunderstorm. He'd grown used to Sarah's mood swings, but he'd never enjoyed them. Sometimes, he'd be in the greatest of moods, only to be dragged down by her depression. She'd been so much better since the move, and not seeing her emotions off-balance for any length of time only made it harder to deal with, once they came back. In the past, he'd always held her to make her feel better, as she would only be slightly melancholy. But then there were others where she'd cry herself to sleep, only to have nightmares. Every time, he'd been there to comfort her, but after two years, it was starting to wear him down. As he stormed outside, he took mental not of a blot of shadow in the hall.

_A freaking burned-out bulb, _he thought. The small inconvenience only added to his frustration. In fact, he'd become so consumed in his thoughts, he didn't even notice Jenner hiding in the shadows.

(****)

Jenner silently watched as Orion went on muttering to himself, until he was sure the new captain had ventured outdoors. He then moved from the small crevice, making his way down the hall from which Orion had come. He'd heard the rat's yells from his hiding place, though they'd been muffled by the door. He'd only planned to make a quick appearance in Nicodemus' chambers to slay the old rat, but couldn't pass up the opportunity to pay a visit to the woman who, technically, was still his wife. He slid to the doorway, peering through the crack. He could hear Sarah crying inside, though couldn't see her. He entered and closed the door behind him, locking it.

Sarah's voice came from the bedroom. "Orion?"

He ran to the dividing curtain, flattening himself against the wall.

Sarah walked slowly to the curtain. "Orion?" she said again. He jumped her, grabbing her wrist, dragging her back to the bedroom. Sarah was too shocked to make a sound, and the force of his grip knocked the wind out of her. He threw her on the bed, pinning her arms when he pounced on her. Her eyes widened in horror, but she clamped his hand on her mouth before she could speak.

"You even _try_ to scream," he hissed in her ear. "I'll kill you. I'll break your neck like a twig, and no one will know about it. No one will hear you, and no one will come save you, not even your _precious _Orion."

He grinned widely, revealing his sharp teeth. He could feel her body tremble beneath him, her eyes staying open as he glared down at her.

"What's the matter, Sarah?" he asked sarcastically. "Aren't you_ happy_ to see your husband alive?"

He took his hand from her mouth, and began stroking her hair. She didn't even flinch, too afraid to move as her jaw quivered, her breath coming in quick gasps. Her eyes started watering, and a single tear slipped down her cheek. Casually, Jenner wiped it away with his finger.

"I can only assume these are tears of joy from seeing me," he flashed his teeth again, rubbing her cheek with his hand. "No? Oh, Sarah, where did we go wrong, hmm? We made such a good pair, you and I. Well, we did, until you started slutting yourself on that ingrate Orion, like the cheap whore you are. What do you think he even sees in you?" the glare darkened. "You are nothing but a crying, whimpering, emotional wreck, just a bag of ruined goods, a ruined flower with just a few petals left. I bet the only thing he sees in you is an easy lay; I should know."

He lifted her further, pulling her arms above her head, pinning them with one hand, allowing their bodies to be even closer. He nuzzled her chin and neck, gently licking her skin. Powerless under his grip, she could only shiver with fright.

"You know," he continued. "I bet he hates it too, making love to you, that is. I'll bet it just eats away at him every time he goes inside you. I know he can't help but imagine that _I _was there first, that _I _was the one to break you in. I bet knowing he can never please you the way I did probably makes him so angry, he can't even think of you as he fucking you. The only way he can be happy is to think of you as a whore, as a cheap, dirty piece of meat. That way, he doesn't have to pretend to meet the expectations he knows he can never hope to achieve. How does that make you feel?" he asked. He kept kissing her neck, further pushing her body down with his. "That the only man you think loves you has to envision you as a slut to enjoy himself?"

Sarah could barely find the strength to whisper.

"W-Wh-What is it you want?"

"I want you to shut up."

He rose, flipped her on her stomach, and tore off his belt. He twisted her arms behind her, binding them with it. Then, he tore an arm from a shirt on the floor, wrapping the cloth tightly around her muzzle. He then searched for something else to bind her with, eventually finding one of Orion's belts. He bent her legs behind her, tying her ankles together and binding them to her wrists. Before that, however, he used the leather to strike her rear, again making her shiver. He then hovered over her shackled body, whispering in her ear from behind.

"I've got to go _pay my respects _to Nicodemus now," he said. "But when I'm done, I'll be _sure_ to stop back and give you what Orion never could."

He started to get up, then fell again, his lips even closer as he hissed, "Wait here, I'll be back."

He crawled off her confined body and vanished, leaving her completely helpless.

(****)

Orion stepped into daylight, shielding his eyes from the sun. The cool breeze whipped through his fur, and he wound up, kicking a small, round stone as hard as he could. It went flying, but regretted the action as a bolt of pain shot through his foot.

"_Son of a bitch,_" he muttered, leaning down to rub his toes. "Is there anything else that can go wrong?"

He gazed around, seeing a couple rats vanish through the main entrance. Other than that, there wasn't anyone outside, which wasn't unusual for that time of day, as most of the farmers were busy with carpentry work. He looked at the firing range, learning that, whoever had used it last, they'd left it a mess.

"God dammit," he seethed, going over to clean it himself.

He needed something to get his mind off Sarah. His blood had begun simmering at the first sign of her sadness, and had been boiling when he'd left the room. _What the hell do I have to do? _He walked to a dowel someone had left standing from sword practice, unsheathing his own blade and making quick work of the wooden pole. He drove his blade into the ground when he finished, breathing heavily with his hands on his knees. He then fell on his back, throwing out his arms. He stared at the clouds.

_It's going to rain soon, _he thought, noting their dark shade. _Heh, just my freaking luck! _He brought his hands to his face, rubbing his eyes, then threw them out again, growling in frustration. In his mind, his thoughts moved wildly about, almost like the ocean during a storm. He'd never thought Sarah would push him to the breaking point, but something had just snapped within him. Sure, they'd argued about things before, but the fights had always had substance to them; he'd never flat-out yelled at her, as he'd just had. And she'd been doing well.

Her school duties kept her busy during the day, but they always spent the evenings together, alone, just talking. One night in bed, he'd simply held her as they, literally, talked the night away. Before either of them had known it, the alarm clock had started buzzing, and neither had slept a wink. They hadn't even been tired, afterward. Then, just the other night, he'd had her in high spirits, having wrestled, then tickled her to bed, where they'd made the best love since their arrival in Thorn Valley.

_Hell, _he thought. _It was the best so far, this year. _She hadn't even skipped a beat when Elizabeth had brought the horrifying news of NIMH. She'd just taken everything in stride, and had welcomed the chance to help the mice settle in. She'd especially loved being with the children. Everything had been almost perfect; she hadn't shown any negative signs at all. What'd caused the sudden shift, he wondered, and began evaluating the past. Why did he put up with it? It wasn't the first time she'd appeared for a bit, then had relapsed. What could he possibly do? He'd tried everything he knew to make her happy, but the relationship had been draining him for some time. After all, it was a lot of work, handling her emotional baggage, trying to appear as though he were fully in command of the situation, just to try and give her strength. Why did he stay with her, bother to face this over and over? He wondered, why did he even try at all?

_Because, _his heart spoke to him. _Because, you love her._

The wind shifted, the clouds above twisting into ugly shapes. He sat up, rubbing his face again while he groaned in resentment. He held his arms loosely over his knees, going over everything in his mind; the arguments, the nights of crying and tedious mood swings. The constant walking on eggshells was a lot for anyone to try and handle.

_But she's worth it, _he thought, feeling suddenly determined. _She's _always _worth it._

He had a lot to manage with their relationship, but he cherished every minute they were together. Her beauty always soothed his overworked nerves, and he forgot all the frustration of the past whenever he held her body to his. And every time he took in her scent, it washed away the anger he held toward Jenner, the one who'd driven her to her current state of mind. He realized it wasn't her fault at all, that Jenner had abused her and crushed her will. That kind of damage required gradual, delicate repair, though he knew he was having an effect. She was much better now than she'd been a year ago. The biggest cause of her emotional imbalance was having lived under Jenner's shadow so long in the rosebush, but now they were in Thorn Valley, and Jenner was gone. He realized then that things would obviously be getting better, especially now that they were in a new home, it would just take time.

_Shit, what've I done?_

He stood, grabbed his sword and sheathed it. He then stretched his arms above his head, popping his back, taking another look at the darkening clouds. He then headed back to see if he could repair whatever he had damaged.

(****)

He closed the door softly behind him, still able to hear soft crying from the bedroom. When he spoke, his voice was soft.

"Sarah, honey," he began. "Listen, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have ever said those things to you."

He walked to the blue dividing curtain, staying on his side to give her space. "For what's it worth, I didn't mean what I said. It's just that," he paused, sighing. "I have so much on my mind right now. I'm trying to keep this place in order, and I've got every rat and their mother coming to me, looking for advice. I've got plumbing that doesn't work half the time," he continued. "And no heat; I get so frustrated sometimes that I just try to simplify everything, and I shouldn't. I just you want to be happy, so much that when you're not happy, it hurts me. I hate seeing you that way, and I just wish…I just wish I could make it go away, I wish I could just take you somewhere, where we won't have anything to worry about."

He paused again, listening to her shift around. "Look, I know a lot of this might not mean much, but I—" he moved the cloth aside, just slightly, but enough to see her hands were tied up. "What the hell?"

He rushed to her side, tearing the leather from her wrists, heart racing as he released her muzzle. "Who did this?"

She gasped in relief, her mouth finally free.

"Jenner!" she cried.

"What?"

"It's Jenner," she cried again. "H-He's going to kill Nicodemus!"

His jaw dropped. "Jenner? What?"

"Go!" Sarah shouted. "He's going after Nicodemus; go now!"

Orion charged into the hall, hurtling toward the old rat's quarters. He spotted Jenner around the corner, closing in on the carved door. "Hey!"

Jenner turned in time to see the walking shadow tackle him. They fell, bodies twisting as each tried to gain the upper hand. Finally, Jenner kicked with both legs, sending Orion into the wall. It didn't stop him, and in an instant his sword was out, clashing loudly against Jenner's. They pounded at each other, blow by blow, until at last, their hilts locked, each still trying to shove the other down. Once he was close enough, Orion threw a left hook, following with a roundhouse kick that sent Jenner flying, making Elizabeth gasp in horror.

She'd emerged from Nicodemus' chamber to see Jenner crash into the wall beside her, and before she could move, he grabbed her wrist and spun her body in front of his. He held his blade to her neck, making Orion stop in his tracks.

"Stay back," Jenner snarled. "You try _anything_, and your next bath will be in her blood."

Elizabeth shrieked. "Jenner!"

"I'm sorry, Mrs. Brisby," he said. "Were you expecting someone else?"

"Leave he out of this, Jenner!" shouted Orion. "She's got nothing to do with it!"

"Oh, but she does," Jenner told him. "She does, Orion. She has _everything _to do with it."

"Let her go, Jenner; take on someone your own size."

Jenner slowly began to back up with Elizabeth. "No, I don't think so."

She stood helplessly in Jenner's grasp, terrified and looking to Orion for help, knowing he couldn't.

"You've ruined my plans, Orion," Jenner said coldly.

"And you should've stayed dead," Orion snapped.

"Fair enough, we're-" he ducked beneath Brutus' flying poleax, watching the blade crash into the wall. It sent out a shower of electrical sparks. Jenner kept his grip on Elizabeth, facing his new challenger. Brutus stood a few feet away, crossbow at the ready.

"Brutus, no!" shouted Orion.

"That's right, Brutus," Jenner said. "Listen to your captain."

He pulled Elizabeth with him, dragging her along as she fought to stop, but he was far too powerful for her to escape.

"Let her go, Jenner," said Orion. "We can work this out. What do you want; Sarah, me, Nicodemus, the stone, what?" he was desperate. "Let her go, and we can figure this out."

Brutus had circled slowly toward him, never letting his aim down.

"Just try it," Jenner told him. "The second you fire, I'll lift her to block the arrow, and _still_ get away."

"Put it down, Brutus," Orion said.

The big rat slowly complied.

"Don't do this, Jenner," Orion continued. He threw down his sword, holding out his arms. "Take me instead, just let her go."

Jenner smiled. "As much as I'd enjoy the opportunity to slowly kill you, I'm afraid I'll have to take a rain check. Right now," he glanced at Elizabeth. "Mrs. Brisby and I are going to catch up on old times. I'm sure she has lots to tell, don't you, Mrs. Brisby?" he tightened his grip. Still too frightened to do anything, Elizabeth could only fight his grip, trying to keep the sword's edge away from her throat.

"God dammit," Orion cried. "You can't do this!"

Again, Jenner smiled. "I _am _doing this," he said, then began backing out, Elizabeth still trapped. "If you even _try _to follow me," he said. "She's dead."

He brought the blade closer to her throat as she gasped.

Orion could only stand, helpless, gritting his teeth. He cried out in frustration, as Jenner vanished from view. Quickly, he retrieved his sword, hitting a red button on the nearest intercom. The emergency lights were strings of small Christmas ones set to the highest chase speed, and they began flashing as an alarm echoed through the halls. He switched the intercom to the all-access frequency.

"Attention all guards," he began. "Report immediately; Jenner is on the premises, and has a hostage, lock down the lair. Repeat, lock down the lair now! Seal the entrance, and all exposed skylights. And all rats of Thorn Valley, report immediately to the nearest department head or supervisor, I want all rats accounted for!"

He released the voice box, walking back to the exposed rear entrance. A group of guards, both on-duty and off was on their way by when they noticed him.

"Captain," one of them asked. "What's going on?"

Others nearby were starting to filter into the hallway.

"Jenner was just in here," Orion told him. "He's taken Mrs. Brisby hostage, and done who-knows-what else," he pointed to the gate. "I want you men to seal off this entrance; find something to barricade it, defend it with whatever you've got. I'll send reinforcements soon."

He quickly tried to subdue the situation, before it plunged into chaos. Several rats began questioning him.

One emerged from the workshop. "What's going on?"

"Jenner's here?" said another.

"What's this about a hostage?"

He raised his arms to settle the crowd. "Please, everyone," he shouted. "Just report in for now; we need to get a head count to make sure everyone is safe. I'll fill you in on details later." He went over to Brutus' poleax, still embedded in the wall, and tore it out. "I want you to stay here, big guy," he said, handing Brutus the weapon. "Keep that exit secure."

The big rat nodded silently, heading toward the lair's one vulnerable spot while Orion rushed to the main entrance.

He encountered many questioning stares along the way, ignoring those who tried to stop him. They'd never done a drill for shutting down the lair, but everyone knew what to do, it would just take a minute or two for them to remember. He rounded a corner, running straight into Arthur.

"Whoa," he backed up. "Just the man I wanted to see!"

"Orion, what the hell's going on?" the big rat demanded.

"Jenner was just in here," Orion explained. "He made a move for Nicodemus."

"My God…he didn't—did he?"

"No, Nicodemus is okay, but the bad news is, Mrs. Brisby got caught up in the struggle, and he took her hostage."

"He what?" Arthur shook his head. "Mrs. Brisby? Where are they now?"

"He left, out the back entrance; I don't know how he got in, or what else he's done. But now," he took a breath. "I want you to move everyone into the larger rooms; the cafeteria, the library, all back in there, until we get everyone accounted for. Do you know if anybody's still outside?"

"No, not that I know of," replied Arthur. "We didn't have any outside work scheduled for today."

"Who knows what he may have been up to in here?" Orion said, almost to himself. "I've got some men sealing off that entrance, but it may take some time."

"That's going to be tricky," the engineer told him. "By closing the entrances off, we won't get much air through here, especially since the fans aren't up to speed."

"Shit," Orion sighed. "Well, we'll just have to come up with something, for now. I don't know, just start getting everyone together. We'll go from there."

He patted Arthur's shoulder, heading off to round up his guards, moving from post to post, directing his men on what to do, where to go. He also caught any off-duty, putting them to work. After a long while, he reached the front entrance, only to find the gate wide open.

"What the hell are you doing?" he yelled at the perplexed guard. "I said seal the gate!"

"But, sir, Castor and his men are out there!"

"Castor's _what_?"

"Lieutenant Castor and a bunch of others, sir," said Kyle. "They left just a few minutes ago; he said to leave the entrance open."

"How many went out?" the captain demanded

"There was a lot," the youth replied. "Around fifty, or so."

"And you didn't think that was weird?"

"Well, I thought it was odd, but-"

"Who else was with him?" snapped Orion.

"Some guards," Kyle said. "Marcus, I believe, but Cameron was with also him, and a couple other council members, Sasha too. I didn't have time to see them all, the way they were rushing outside; I thought you ordered them…" he trailed off, realizing he was in trouble.

Orion seethed inside, trying to remain calm without losing it. "Fifty or so rats?" he repeated. You're not sure, though? Could there've been more?"

"Maybe," said Kyle. "I don't know."

"Well, we'll know soon enough," Orion glared at the land outside. "Seal this gate."

"But sir," Kyle protested. "Castor-"

"Castor is a traitor!" his captain shouted. "Along with all those other rats; they've gone out there to meet Jenner. Now, seal this gate!"

(****)

Castor had realized what was going on, quickly assembling as many followers as he could, getting out before Orion could stop them. Luckily, most had been nearby when the alarm had gone off. Those that weren't had had enough sense to get it, going out to meet with the group. The guard at the entrance had been easy enough to dupe, but Castor knew they'd be figured out soon enough, and would be cut off from their home. Jenner was planted nearby, not bothering to be as far as he'd been for their other meeting, and was pleased to see that the majority of his followers had gotten out.

"This is a fine mess you've started!" shouted Cameron. "Just _what _the hell were you thinking? Why didn't you go over any of this with us?"

"The reason is I didn't want any of you to suddenly develop a conscience," Jenner said coolly. "I knew I couldn't go over anything too drastic, so I left it up to you to figure out what was going on. Why, Cameron," he continued. "Did you not appreciate my handiwork?"

"I certainly did not!" Cameron shouted. "What was it you were trying to accomplish with this? Now we're stuck out here! Couldn't you find a more subtle approach?"

"Our time is short here, Cameron," said his leader, still calm. "We have to act quickly, while there is still uncertainty in everyone's minds. If we waited, we wouldn't catch them off-guard. Eventually, a siege would've been inevitable, anyway."

"A _siege_?" Cameron's jaw dropped. "You plan on the lot of us to attempt a siege in the entire colony? Are you insane?"

"Do you _ever _stop complaining?" said Castor, irritated.

"I don't see how you can take this so-"

"Cameron," interrupted his wife, Sasha. "It's all under control."

Cameron was flustered, but knew his argument was useless when he saw the three immobile faces in front of him. Instead, he motioned to Elizabeth, whose hands were tied, the other end of the rope tight in Jenner's grasp. "Then, what's she for?"

"Think of her as a bargaining chip," Jenner told him. "If things get too rough, we'll throw her on the table and see what happens."

Elizabeth's eyes widened, but she feared for her safety, so she remained silent.

"So, what's the plan?" asked Castor.

"Yes," added Cameron. "Just how do you plan on handling this siege?"

"Gentlemen," began Jenner. "While the rats cooped inside the lair may appear to have the advantage, they do not," he nearly smirked. "They are nothing more than caged animals; they have food and water, but the supply is limited, so is their supply in which they can defend themselves. Right now, I'm sure Arthur and Nicodemus are sorely regretting their decision to store the explosives and spare crossbows outside in a secure bunker."

Castor and Sasha smirked at the thought, several others grunting and nodding in approval of their sudden, apparent, advantage.

"Also," Jenner continued. "Right now, Orion and his men are running their tails off, trying to secure the lair, making sure everyone is safe and sound. They'll spend the day fortifying their position to defend themselves, keeping themselves busy, wearing out their bodies and minds from stress. And we're going to be out here, relax, and attack when they least expect it. They may have time to dig in, but they'll be too tired to fight, once we attack. No doubt, they'll try to gather everyone in the same location, so once we punch through, it will be easy to find Nicodemus."

"Then what?" asked Cameron.

"By then, we will have slaughtered most of Orion's guards. Once we destroy Nicodemus and I have that stone in my grasp, nothing will stop us."

"You just had your chance at Nicodemus," reminded Cameron.

"A mistake that I will correct, but that doesn't matter. I've set the ball in motion. Right now, we wait. Meanwhile, they will drive themselves crazy with worry. They will be exhausted when we attack, and we will take them by force. And then, the lair will be ours."

Jenner had support from everyone then, as evident by the cheers and greedy smiles spreading around the group. As they clapped their hands and patted their new leader on the back, Elizabeth could only huddle silently in fear of what part she would play in Jenner's scheme, and prayed for Justin to hurry back.


	10. Belly of the Beast

Ash was the colony's head doctor, and he oversaw every case requiring medical attention. Usually, he just patched up cuts and scrapes, and the occasional broken bone. He mostly saw children, but knew the medical history, or lack thereof, to everyone by heart. He was all, pale grey, and seen as a bit eccentric, though overall, he was a good guy. He also had an apprentice, Alexander, who was slightly younger, and nearly as knowledgeable as his teacher. At the moment, however, Ash was alone with Sarah in the examining room, who sat on an observation table. After her encounter with Jenner, Orion had insisted she get looked at, just in case.

"Well," he began, checking her wrists. "For the most part, everything seems fine," he moved them in all directions, looking for any sign of pain. "It doesn't look like anything's broken; I think all you're looking at is a couple bruises."

She hummed in agreement, staring off into space. Ash stopped moving her wrists, putting his hands on hers.

"Sarah," he said earnestly. "Now please, tell me the truth. I'm a doctor, I can help. Did Jenner…" he paused. "_Do _anything else to you, something you haven't told me, or Orion?"

She blinked. "No," she said simply. At the very thought of it, her hands began shaking.

"All right, I believe you," he said, after staring at her a moment. "But if you need anything, anything at all, please, feel free to ask for it. I only want to help."

She shook her head. "No, Ash," she started. "I'm okay, really."

"If you say so," he glanced away. "I have a few others to look at, but remember what I said."

He gave her hands a gentle pat, the sounds of thunder rumbling through the ground. "Boy, that was a big one," he said. "Sounds like it's going to rain pretty soon."

He glanced at her once more, letting Orion in for the first time. Orion ran to her, taking her hands in his.

"What did he say?" he was in a near panic. "Are you okay? Is everything all right?"

"I'm fine, Orion," she said softly. "I'll be okay; it's just a small bruise."

"Oh, God, baby," he reached out to hug her. "I'm so sorry for what I did. I never should've said those things to you; I didn't mean any of it. You know that, don't you?"

She settled her shaking hands in their embrace. "I know."

"I never should've left you," he continued. "I shouldn't have left you alone. If I'd gotten there sooner, I would've stopped him from doing anything. I coulda stopped him…"

"You didn't, Orion," she settled her face in his chest. "None of us knew, it's not your fault."

They stood there in silence for a moment, just holding each other. "I guess now we know what became of poor Jessica," she said quietly.

"Yes, now we know," he held her more tightly. "If it wasn't him, at least, it was definitely one of his men."

"What happens now?" she lifted her head. "What's he going to do with Mrs. Brisby?"

"I don't know, but he harms a hair on her head, I'll cut him in two." His voice held a low growl, then flattened again. "We haven't heard a thing from him y—"

Just as he spoke, the lights went black. They came back to life a moment later, noticeably dimmer.

"Shit!" he snapped, staring at them.

"What was that?"

"He's cut the power," Orion said angrily. "He's cut the lines to the solar panels; we're running on batteries now."

"How long do they last?"

He shook his head. "Not long enough."

Just then, a large rat stumbled in, out of breath.

"He cut the power, Arthur," Orion informed him.

"That's not the worst of it," Arthur panted a second. "He's killed the exhaust fans."

"What?" Orion gasped. "Just now?"

"No," Arthur shook his head. "A few minutes ago. I've been looking for you. He set off an explosion of some kind, took out the fans and buried them rubble."

"An explosion?" the guard looked confused. "I didn't hear anything."

"Yes, you did," Arthur assured them. "Though you probably just thought it was a clap of thunder."

"Yes, I heard it too," said Sarah.

"Well, what does that mean?" asked Orion.

"Without those fans to circulate air, and with the main gate sealed, the only air getting in here is from the back entrance," explained Arthur. "He can't suffocate us, but after a while, it's going to get pretty damn unbearable in here. Of course, by then, the power cells will be drained."

Orion grit his teeth. "Shit."

"Well, w-what does that mean for us?" Sarah said nervously.

"It means we're screwed," Orion told her. "We have the defensive advantage, but he's gonna try to smoke us out, and it's probably gonna work."

"What does he want?"

"I don't know," the guard shook his head. "But he's got Mrs. Brisby, and he's got us by the balls."

"And he's got a huge supply of explosives," added Arthur.

"Damn that too," Orion thought a moment. "Okay, here's the plan: obviously, we can't open the main gate; it'd be too hard to defend. We'll have to position ourselves at the back entrance, set up a barricade of some kind, make him fight to get to us. Then, we need to move everyone into some kind of central location; the library and cafeteria sound good. Let's get everyone there and huddle up. Then shut down all unnecessary power, lights, whatever, and let's keep the plumbing down to a minimum—that'll drain those batteries right away. Then, we'll just have to wait, and see who caves first."

"But, what about Mrs. Brisby?" asked Sarah.

"I don't know," he said regretfully. "I can't do anything for her right now. He'll probably keep her alive for something. He could've easily escaped without her, so, for now, let's just hope he needs her for something."

(****)

Justin and the others had managed to climb the ventilation shaft to the master bedroom, and were stationed in an air conditioning vent. It was locate high on the wall, allowing them to look down over the entire room. Apparently, the phone line there was of greater quality than the others in the house, as there was a high-speed laptop up and running, the room having been transformed into Schultz's makeshift office. For the latter half of the evening, Schultz had been alone at the computer, clicking and typing away. The rats had given up on learning anything then, when she suddenly called for Valentine.

Justin perked up as the scientist entered the room.

"This could be interesting," he said.

"You wanted to see me, ma'am?" said Valentine.

"I think I've got an idea here, Valentine," Schultz leaned back in her chair. "Those rats pulled out of here pretty quickly, right?"

She didn't get a response.

"So, that means they must be working as a group, like an ant colony, or something."

Valentine scoffed.

"Well, obviously," he said. "How else could they have escaped in the first place?"

"Exactly," she smiled. "So, our rats are thinking, living as a group, as a community. There're going to want to do whatever they can to ensure the survival of the group as a whole, unlike, say, a pack of wolves, who'll leave the sick and weak behind."

"What are you driving at?"

"My point," Schultz now sounded irritated. "Is, I think these rats had an idea of where they were going. They were tapping this family's water and electricity for who-knows-how long, and I think they knew they'd be discovered someday, so they started scouting around for a new place to live, some place safe."

"I assume you have an idea where?"

Schultz stood, placing a large map on the bed. She pointed to the nearest city, then the farmhouse, and finally, to an area circled by red ink.

"Thorn Valley?" Valentine read the words next to it. "You think they moved to a nature reserve?"

The rats held their collective breath.

"Think about it, Valentine," Schultz told him. "These rats are smart; they probably know as much about this land as we do, and I'm sure they know just as much as you or I do, bout that valley being off-limits. What better place could there be for them to hide from human sight?"

"I don't understand," Valentine scratched his head. "Why don't they go back to the city, or wherever else there's a lot of rats?"

"Probably because they don't fit in," Schultz sighed. "Other rats might not except them, or vice-versa, maybe they think they're better than the average street rat. But I'm almost certain they moved to Thorn Valley to get away from us."

"How can you be so sure?"

Schultz sat at the laptop, pulling up a screen. "By this."

"_Jesus, _Schultz," said Valentine, realizing what it was. "This is a top priority satellite feed. How'd you even get access to one?"

Schultz smiled again. "By taking the necessary means."

"How? You can't even ask for clearance on a satellite unless you've done something like…" he trailed off, knowing what he was saying.

"Like a sweep-and-clear," his boss finished for him.

He groaned. "Does Stavros know about this?"

"What Stavros doesn't know won't hurt him."

"Are you telling me you're using a top secret _government _satellite illegally?"

"Get a grip, Valentine," Schultz told him. "How do you think I got the green light for this sweep-and-clear so fast? This is practically a Black Ops mission; we have to move fast, before we're caught up with, and the only way to do that is to get those rats back."

"Schultz, you're crazy," Valentine shook his head. "Even if you _did _get those rats back—this is serious shit here. You're not just looking at a court-martial, you're looking at a life-sentence."

"All of which will become meaningless," Schultz said calmly. "Valentine, I've never criticized you for your skills as a soldier, but you do lack a very important ability needed to make it big:_ vision. _You can't possibly imagine the ramifications that'll be brought about once I can duplicate these rats. Think of what we can learn, of what we can accomplish! The secrets of this world can be ours!"

"I still think you've lost it," Valentine told her. "In fact, I don't want to wait for Sinclair to shut this project down. I demand to be reassigned immediate—"

"You think it's that easy?" she interrupted. "Valentine, this isn't the kind of thing you can just walk away from; you're my second in command. You know just as much about this as I do, and if shit hits the fan, you're coming down with me; don't even think of weaseling your way out."

"Fuck you, Schultz," the man spat. "I didn't come this far just to go to jail over some Goddamn rats."

"Those 'Goddamn rats' are going to make us a fortune."

"_If _you can find them!"

"I _have _found them!"

"All you've found is a valley that's off-limits to every human on the planet. Even if you've managed to cover up this sweep-and-clear, as well as using this satellite, people are really going to notice you poking around a nature reserve all day; no one's allowed in there. Flying a helicopter up and down that valley is going to attract a lot of attention."

"Not if we're in and out in no time, which I think we can manage," Schultz turned to the laptop. "I'm certain I've pinpointed the rats' location, just look here," she pointed to the monitor. "What I was getting ready to show you before your sudden attack of conscience is this."

She punched a key, and the view of the map closed in.

"This is on thermal imaging," she continued. "I was scanning the area for anything unusual. With a large area populated by many different animals, the heat signature, more or less, tends to balance out; it's basically even across the board. But, then I found this, one hot spot with nothing surrounding it, at all."

"That doesn't mean anything."

"As a matter of fact, it does," Schultz smiled again. "It means all other living creatures in the area are avoiding it. There are no large predators in the area, so that's ruled out, but that's not all." Again, she pointed at the screen. "This heat signature is much too high to be some group of animals, this kind of heat comes from a power supply. There's some kind of machine down there, even you're smart enough to do that; all you have to do is the math.

"Think about it, the distance from here to the lab is evidence enough the rats could've traveled safely to the valley. There's something there that's driven off all other animals for quite a distance, and there's enough heat coming from there to realize there's more than a little burrowing going on."

Valentine stared at the image as her words sunk in. He realized a long time ago that Schultz had crossed the line, that it wasn't safe to be associated with her anymore. But he also knew his career depended on this project, more than anything, and that he'd indeed crash and burn with Schultz once it fell apart. Finally, he gave a hard sigh. "Okay, I'm listening."

"We'll take the chopper out tomorrow morning," she began. "Early, assuming they still have normal sleeping patterns. We don't even land at first; we'll gas the place from the air. They're just as good dead as alive. Most probably won't be killed by the gas anyway, they'll just get knocked out. We'll swoop down, scoop up what we can, then blast whatever we leave behind. No one will ever know we were there."

Valentine stared at her, then at the screen, then,

"You better have this right," he said at last. "We'll only get one shot at this. Someone's bound to spot that chopper going in, and the transponder will give us away for sure. The only way we'll get off the hook to with those rats."

"Valentine, I'm willing to bet my life those rats are there. They may be clever, but they're not _that _clever." She clicked the screen off, once more leaning back. "Trust me, Valentine," she continued. "The day after tomorrow, you can forget about court-martial, and start thinking about counting money."

"When do we leave?"

"O-seven-hundred sounds good; get two men ready for then. And fuel the chopper tonight," she continued. "I want it fully prepped for tomorrow…"

Justin turned from the scene, looking back to see creatures just as wide-eyed as he was. He motioned with his head, telling them to get away from the open vent.

"Good God, Justin," said Max. "We're fucked! What're we gonna do?"

"That's a good question." Justin gazed at him, then his eyes moved to Pollux, Dietrich, Mason, and finally to Ages. "We'll have to stop her somehow," he continued. "We're gonna have to sabotage that helicopter, keep them from taking off."

"And then what?" questioned Pollux. "Wait for her to call out another?"

"You heard Valentine's voice in there," Justin told him. "He said whatever Schultz is doing will get them into a ton of trouble. We've got to find a way to distract Schultz until her mistakes catch up to her."

Pollux crossed his arms. "That's not good enough."

"Well, then what kind of plan do you have?" Justin asked sarcastically.

"He's right, Justin," said Max. "If Schultz has covered her tracks to this point, then we'll have to assume she can do it forever. We need to think about the colony."

"Goddamn it," Justin snapped. "I _am _thinking about them!"

"Then I think we _all_ know what we have to do to protect them," Pollux said flatly.

It took a second for the words to sink in, then,

"Are you crazy?" Justin spat. "I am _not _about to take a human life! We're better than that," he continued, glancing at the vent. "We're better than…_her._"

Ages put a hand on his wrist.

"Justin, listen," the old mouse began. "Max and Pollux are right; you have to think about the greater good here. Schultz will stop at nothing, until she sees the rats of NIMH destroyed, or worse. It may not be right for us to harm her, but it _certainly_ isn't right to allow her to exterminate all of our friends. She _cannot _be allowed to complete her mission."

Justin was silent for a long time, brooding in this dark decision.

_This isn't happening, _he thought. _This can't be real, it just can't be! _He didn't take the thought of killing lightly. When he'd fought Jenner, he'd seen it as self-defense, but to kill Schultz was practically murder. _No, it's not, _he told himself. _It's self-defense; we're protecting ourselves from her. _She _is the one who's attacking _us_. _He said this to himself over and over to calm his emotions, then,

"It has to look like an accident," he said at last. "It has to be done there are no suspicions, so no one will be compelled to follow her work."

"Justin," said Max. "I think we can all tell that Schultz _is _her work. With her out of the picture, this whole NIMH thing will die. You heard the way the others were talking about it. Valentine wants nothing to do with it, and that Stavros character said they were getting ready to shut it down, anyway. Face it, as long as Schultz is alive, we'll be threatened," he gave a long pause, emphasizing the graveness of his next words. "She _cannot _be allowed to live."

Justin sat in silence again. The debate was horrible, the life of a, somewhat, innocent, yet delusional, power-mad human, against the lives of hundreds of rats. How could it possibly be weighed? One life was just as valuable as any number, no matter how vile the one holding that life was. He didn't feel at all comfortable with the task ahead, but after thinking of Elizabeth, and her children, he made up his mind.

"All right," he said gravely. "What do we know about helicopters?"

(****)

Night had once more fallen over the valley, and Orion's men had set up a string of defended barricades. They started at the rear entrance, moving back, deeper into the lair. Even if Jenner's men rushed with a full-on attack, there would be several opportunities to slow them down, and eventually stop them. The hallways were blocked by construction equipment, heavy crates stacked like ramparts, allowing his men to fire in safety from behind. All of those not involved in battle had been moved to central areas deep within the lair, far from Jenner's attacks. Orion's men had even created a pipeline of halls, making it easy to take any of those wounded back for medical attention. A group of rats was stationed to protect the main group, as the bulk of the fighting unit was closer to the lair's one weak point. There were six of them stationed at each barricade, allowing for easy backup, and replacement if needed.

By protecting themselves, and by forcing Jenner's men to squeeze through a bottleneck-like opening, Orion and his men had the advantage. Jenner had made a major tactical error, it seemed to Orion, by not attacking immediately, but he knew that, if anything, Jenner was clever. He was more concerned about what the rat was waiting to do than anything else. He thought about it as he checked his men's' positions. Each of them had a crossbow, an extra clip, and a sword, in case of any combat at close-quarters, though he planned on falling back far before that would've been necessary. He noticed that, as he moved through the ranks, that his men seemed edgy, nervous. The closer he got to the entrance, the worse off some seemed to be. He moved cautiously to the final barricade, even though it was still some distance from the entrance, staring at the other end of the tunnel, the gaping wound where night poured through.

"Hey, you got a nice breeze up here," he put his hand on Sean's shoulder. "Seen anything yet?"

"No, nothing yet," Sean told him. "I mean, there's been movement in the shadows, but nothing definite."

"Well, keep your eyes peeled," Orion told him. "They could charge at any second."

"We're gonna do our best, sir," Sean told him. "But all this waiting and anticipation is wearin' us out."

"Don't let it get to you, hear me?" Orion said sternly. "That's exactly what he wants."

"I hear you," Sean nodded. "But, hey, cap, how many did you say there were?"

"We're still not sure," said Orion. "But around fifty or sixty."

"And he's the one who killed Jessica?"

"We can only assume so."

Sean tightened his grip on the crossbow, holding it at the ready. "Then, we'll just have to make him pay for it."

Orion admired the younger rat's courage, but then the familiar sound of whips cracking echoed through the air. The volley of arrows whistled like banshees, colliding with anything within range. They crashed into the stacked crates, bounced off the walls, slammed into the ground. The lethal snapping sounded again and again, Orion and his men ducking just in time.

"Down, get down!" he shouted, as wood became splinters. He glanced through the cracks, seeing Jenner's men slowly advancing, some being replaced as they stopped to reload. The bolts flew like sideways rain, an evil river that made a thunderous impact with every hit. He then looked to his men, pinned behind their shrinking cover, thinking quickly.

"All right everyone," he began, readying his own weapon. "On three, find an opening and start shooting. Don't aim," he continued. "Just shoot! Ready?"

They nodded.

"One…two…three!"

The seven of them lifted their crossbows just above the barricade, shooting blindly. They hoped to slow Jenner's advance, and it worked. The amount of fire they were taking immediately reduced, as Jenner's men had no form of cover. The air cleared a moment, and Orion rose just enough to see his targets, put aim behind his arrows. His men followed suit, unleashing all their pump-action could throw.

Two of Jenner's forces fell quickly, one getting peppered by ten arrows and flying back to land in a twisted heap. The other took a shaft to his leg, groaning in agony until Orion fired a shaft between their eyes. He'd trained them both himself to be great guards, and the fact only made it harder. The rest of them soon fell back, retreating from the return-fire, and Orion figured that at least two others had been wounded.

Still tense, Orion surveyed the tunnel, hearing men reload their weapons. The barricade was battered, though still intact. Splinters lay everywhere, dozens of arrows strewn loosely about. The walls were scratched to hell, as though they'd been scorched by dagger-like flames. Two rats lay dead toward the end of the tunnel, signs of blood visible on the walls and floor. Not far beyond was a black hole, the blot of night serving as a portal through which Jenner's men again passed.

"Everyone okay?" he asked. He was kneeling, chambering a fresh magazine. He stood, slowly and cautiously, staying back behind the crates. The sounds of his men assured him they were all right, but the snap of a crossbow spun him around. He trained his weapon on a single form and fired, but the rat retreated too quickly. The arrow jammed into a crate right of the barricade, spinning the loose box just enough to reveal a small stick of TNT. His eyes grew wide. The fuse was burning fast.

"Move!" he shoved his men away. "Fall back now!"

He wasn't quick enough. The explosion echoed in the confined space, the sound a deafening blast that shattered half the barricade. Those who didn't move quickly enough were thrown back, tossed through the air like rag dolls. Smoke, fire, and screams filled the air, everything being swallowed by a thick cloud, fragments of burning wood dropping like rain from hell. They stumbled about, the explosion having rendered them deaf and blind, those that had escaped getting those caught in it back to their feet.

Orion choked on the dust.

"Fall back to the next position," he ordered, coughing. He was about to move when he realized someone was missing, and he looked back to see Sean. He was lying face down near the point of the explosion, a large splinter of wood driven into his shoulder. He threw down his crossbow, going back for his fallen comrade. Thankfully, Sean was still breathing, though he was unconscious, and blood was beginning to seep from his wound. He'd just knelt to pick him up when a body vaulted through the smoke and fire, Castor's shouts audible from the other side. The rat he yelled at charged Orion, a bolt aimed at his head. Orion deflected the shot, though not before it fired, and he felt hot pain shoot across the left side of his head. Blood splashed across his eyes, he couldn't hear. Everything slowed down, blurred and distorted, highlighted by flames and scorching wood. He watched the rouge once again chamber an arrow, aiming at Orion's head, and a maniacal laugh filtered from his lips.

Suddenly, the world snapped back into place. He dodged a second arrow, driving his fist into the other rat's gut. He felt the breath leave his adversary, then quickly grabbed the rat's head. He viciously broke the rat's neck, throwing the body aside like an unwanted illness. A throbbing sensation overcame him, as he vaguely became aware of someone shouting. His mind was on edge, and he shook his head free of cobwebs. He then picked up his bleeding comrade, heading for safety. The second barricade was just a short ways down the corridor, and once he'd gotten through the gap in the center, his men filled the void with wooden crates, taking their positions. Orion handed Sean's limp body to one of the others.

"Shit, is he alright?" the rat asked.

"He's breathing, that's all I know," said Orion. "Take him back to the med lab, and take this too." He slapped something in the rat's hand. It was small, fleshy, and covered in blood. "Put it on ice and _don't lose it!_"

Kyle shuddered in disgust. "God, what is it?"

"It's my ear," said Orion. "Now, get moving!"

Looking at his captain's head, the rat nearly gasped. Where Orion's ear should've been was a raggedly torn stump. Bright, thick blood oozed from the gash, coating the entire left half of his face. Kyle nodded silently, then rushed off.

Another guard glanced at him. "Sir, you okay?"

"I'm fine," Orion turned. "Just keep your eye on that corridor, and shoot the shitout of anything that moves."

"_Hello?" _Arthur's voice came through the speaker._ "Hello, is anyone there? Orion, can you hear me?"_

Orion stumbled to the voice box, hand pressed to his laceration.

"Yeah, I hear you, Arthur."

"_What the _hell _just happened?"_

"Jenner attacked us," Orion snapped. "First, it was just arrows, but then he threw a bomb at us. The first barricade is gone. We took a couple hits, but no casualties; I'm sending a couple back to you now. We got at least three of _his _men, though."

"_We felt the blast back here," _Arthur told him. _"Has he moved further in, yet?"_

"Not yet, but I'm expecting him to." He thought a second. "Keep everyone tight, this could get uglier than I'd imagined."

He clicked off, taking up a spare crossbow. He'd started to join the others, when the intercom clicked on again. He sighed, grabbing the speaker.

"What is it?" he snapped impatiently.

The familiar hiss of Jenner's voice filtered through the speaker. _"Now, is that any way to talk to an old friend?"_

For a split second, Orion panicked, thinking Jenner had gotten inside, realizing there were two intercom boxes outside.

"What the hell was that, Jenner?" he yelled back. "What do you plan on doing? You blow up the whole place, but then what good would it be?"

Jenner laughed. _"Actually, that was just a small effort to get your attention," _he began. _"My intentions for the rest of you will involve something much more…slow, very slow, and very painful."_

"Are you sure that's gonna work out?" asked Orion. "I mean, we're just a little scratched up in here, but you've already lost three men. You're being careless and sloppy, Jenner," he continued. "That'll be the end of you."

"_Ah, that was but a small sacrifice."_

"You're bluffing."

"_Am I?" _Jenner's laugh was all too clear. _"Tell me something, Orion," _he added. _"What's it like?"_

"What's _what _like?" the guard spat back.

"_Fucking my wife," _he was still laughing. _"I was just curious. I never really enjoyed it much myself, but I was just wondering if she's ever accidentally cried my name out, as I'm _sure _she secretly yearns for me still. As I tied her up, I detected a look in her eyes, a sign of longing for something she couldn't get from anyone else." _The laugh grew louder.

"Fuck you." Orion killed the transmission.

(****)

"What the hell was that?" demanded Castor.

"Just creating a little tension," replied Jenner.

"Ugh, or stirring the hornet's nest," Castor told him. "Orion's _dangerous, _Jenner, and driving him into a corner will make him hard enough to handle. But if you get him pissed off it'll be twice as hard to take him down. I've already lost three men—"

"Your men were stupid and careless," Jenner snapped. "A child could have defeated them."

Castor ignored the comment.

"Where do we go from here?" he asked. "He's right, you can't just blow up the place; it'd be useless."

"For now," began Jenner. "I want you to send some of your men down that tunnel, to keep Orion busy for a while, nothing drastic. Just hold him down, advance if you can, but not too far; just keep them busy and wear them out."

"And then what?"

"I'll tell you, then."

Half pissed and half frustrated, Castor turned to leave, then motioned to Mrs. Brisby. Her hands were tied with rope, the other end held by another rat.

"What about her?"

"I don't know yet, perhaps she'll become useful, later on." Jenner shrugged. "Just go, do what I told you, and tell your men not to be stupid again."

He motioned Castor away with a flip of his hand, walking over to the captive mouse. He then took the rope from the guard's hands, motioning for him to join the others, and Jenner dropped to one knee, to look at her face to face.

"Well, Mrs. Brisby," he began. "Once again, we meet during a…rather difficult situation."

She tried to look away, but he simply wrapped the slack rope over his hand, pulling her close, and gripped her chin to force her to face him. "It's not a good idea to turn your back on me, Brisby," he said. "Bad things happen to those who do."

"What are you going to do with me?" she questioned, almost defiantly. "Kill me? Hold me for ransom?"

He yanked her up roughly by the collar.

"Don't tempt me mouse," he hissed angrily. "I could do things to you that're far worse than you could ever imagine. You might still be alive when I'm through with you, but you may wish you were dead. I could do things to you you've never imagined in your worst nightmares; I could redefine violation with your little body. Your puny frame would probably split in half beneath me," he continued, smiling. "But I'd give it a try. Who knows," he leaned closer. "You might even enjoy yourself."

She spit in his face. "You're disgusting."

"Fine, have it your way," he was unfazed, wiping his cheek. "Like I said, you _could _turn your back on me, but then you would find out _exactly _what happened to your husband."

"_What?_" Her voice was thick with contempt.

"Oh, that's right," he smirked. "You don't know what really happened to him."

"I know what happened," she snapped. "You can't frighten me. It was—"

"It was Dragon who ate Jonathan's corpse," he began. "But that was after I drove my blade through his lungs. I was there, Mrs. Brisby," he added. "I was at the farmhouse, waiting for your husband to complete his mission, which he did. He always did. Dragon didn't kill your husband at all, Mrs. Brisby."

He swung her around, imitating his actions.

"He planted the drugs without a problem, then, as he crawled through the hole, I grabbed his throat from behind. I shoved my sword between his ribs, punctured his lungs, so he couldn't scream for help. Oh, he tried, he tried very hard, but he didn't have the breath. It all rushed out through the hole in his back. He began to struggle, but he was too weak to do anything, then I ran my blade all the way through his chest," he chuckled, caressing her cheek. "His eyes grew wide, he panicked, and, for a split second, his face registered the utter terror he felt, the realization that the hot blood that'd splashed across his face was really his own. Then, he fell limp in my arms—dead, never knowing what hit him."

Jenner unsheathed this same sword from his belt. The starlight glinted from its curves as he ran the edge beneath her cheek.

"His body was still skewered here," he continued. "And I lifted him back through the hole in the floor. His blood had begun to run down, over the hilt, and onto my hand. It was still hot, coming in spurts as his heart continued to beat, not yet realizing it was dead. I could only get my shoulder through, but that was all I needed. I swung out, flung his body out to the kitchen floor, and Dragon immediately pounced upon it. Mrs. Fitzgibbons screamed at the sight, throwing him and your half-eaten husband outside, where Ages saw it. He reported back, only able to guess as to what really had happened."

He held his arm out, holding the blade in front of her, letting the dim light bounce from its blade. He then pulled her stiff body back to his, hissing in her ear, "The sound his body made as it slid free was strange, like rotten meat between your fingers, but it landed with a simple thud. But when Dragon tore into him," he laughed again, even more cruelly. "Just imagine that same rotten meat, tearing it apart as quickly as you can, just ripping it with your bare hands. That is how Jonathan really died, and all because he turned his back on me, so don't you _ever_ make that same mistake."

Elizabeth could only shiver at his words, tears filling her eyes as she tried desperately to cling to her sanity. But she could do nothing as sheer terror began to devour her very soul.


	11. Train of Consequences

The decision to kill Schultz weighed heavily on Justin's mind. The fact he was doing it to ensure the colony's future, the lives of his friends, didn't make him feel any better about taking someone's life. On the night he'd fought Jenner, there hadn't been time to think about his actions, he'd just done what he'd had to; but Schultz was different. The thought rolled in his head for hours, exhausting him not only mentally, but also emotionally. There appeared no easy way to get to the helicopter, as there was always someone nearby. The minutes of night crept on, their window of opportunity shrinking as well.

"What's on your mind, chief?" said Max.

The voice startled him. Justin had been sitting at the base of a tree, lost in thought.

"I'm thinking our time is running out," he said quietly. "Is there still nothing?"

"There's just one guy, now," Max told him. "He was fueling the chopper, kinda checking everything else now. He better hurry up, though. I mean, what're we gonna do if we can't get to that bird?"

"I don't know, Max," said Justin. "I don't know." He sighed, and there was a long stretch of silence before he spoke again. "It's a hell of a thing to kill a woman."

"Hey!" Pollux waved his hand. "Hey, he's gone! They're all gone!"

The rats leapt to their feet, running to the spot. Sure enough, all Schultz's men had vanished into their bunks. If someone was supposed to be on duty, then they were slacking off.

"I think I've got an idea," said Dietrich, and the others looked his way. "That thing has an electric ignition, right? All we have to do is cut the fuel line, then when the ignition sparks, it'll light the gas and boom."

"That's a good idea," Justin told him. "The only problem is that it has to light while there's still plenty of gas in the tank. If it's cut too early, they'll notice the leak."

"We don't have much time as it is," said Max.

"He's right, Justin," said Pollux. "It's now or never."

Justin sighed. "All right, dammit," he said. "Let's go."

The rats and Ages ran across the open field, the grass covered in dew, and stopped before the helicopter. Their seven AM deadline was coming close, and they stared up at the hellish mountain face. The size alone was staggering, but the hope they could sabotage it started looking impossible.

"What're we looking for, Dietrich?" asked Justin.

Dietrich pointed toward the top. "I watched them messing with it earlier," he said. "It's a panel that opens up, and inside's the fuel line."

"Okay then, let's go take a look. Max," he turned to the big rat. "I want you and me to go up there. If anything happens," he looked to the others. "I want the rest of you to hide, get back to our spot, if you can. Just don't let anyone see you."

The firmness in his voice silenced any protest that might have come from them.

"Okay, Max," he took a deep breath. "Let's do this."

Max nodded. "Gotcha."

Taking a customized crossbow, he aimed just above the top of the chopper. It'd been mounted with an arrow that had rope tied to it, and he pulled the trigger. The bolt flew in a tight arc, bringing the rope up with it. The black cord sped from its coil, coming to a stop when the arrowhead slammed into the ground on the other side. Pollux rushed over, setting it more firmly into the soil. Justin and Max pulled on harnesses, then began pulling themselves up.

The ground fell slowly away as Justin climbed and, once he was high enough, he turned to brace his feet against the surface. The freezing metal was the most unnatural thing he'd ever experienced, and walking on it felt more like walking on some alien world. The experience was quite unnerving. Max hoisted him the last few inches, and the two detached themselves from the rope. They glanced around the upper structure, looking for the panel Dietrich had talked about.

"Here it is," said Max. The latch was easy enough to open. The panel lifted, a small pole coming down to keep it in place. There was barely enough room in the depression for them to climb inside.

Justin took a small hose in his hand. "This must be the fuel line." He squeezed it, feeling the pressure of the gas within. "This shouldn't be that hard."

Suddenly, Schultz appeared on the pouch, front door slamming behind her. Her top man Valentine was close behind.

"What are you doing?" he asked. "It's early."

"I don't care," Schultz told him. "I'm tired of waiting. Is the chopper ready?"

"Yes, but…" he was hesitant, unsure what to say.

The rats scattered, retreating as quickly as they could. The house was close, Schultz practically right on tip of them. Max and Justin peered over the side, seeing the woman advance on them.

"Shit," Justin hissed. He looked at his partner. "We're not gonna make it!"

"_You _are," Max forced Justin's harness back on the rope, shoving the rat over the side before he could figure out what'd happened. Justin didn't have time to think about it. For a moment, he didn't even realize he was harnessed to the rope, thinking Max had just shoved him over the side. He came to his senses in time to slow his descent, landing hard in the grass. He could see Schultz's boots approach from the other side. He felt the rope go slack, saw it fall to the ground, then he heard the small sound of a hatch closing.

"Max!"

Just as was about to run, Schultz appeared, and Justin quickly slipped behind a support strut, hiding himself from view.

Max had given him enough time to reach the ground before cutting the rope. He climbed into the hatch, bringing the door shut behind him. He felt around for the fuel line in darkness, striking it with his blade. The gas sprayed, splashing in his mouth, filling the air with a suffocating odor. He all but choked on the revolting taste. He just hoped Justin had had enough time to get away.

Schultz paused at the chopper, thinking she'd heard something strange. She glanced at Valentine. The man stood on the porch with a blank expression on his face.

"We're going, _now,"_ she sounded irritated. She turned away, waving her hand. "Get the gear."

She glanced at her watch before climbing inside, preferring the right side to the left. She fastened her seatbelt, powered up the chopper, then hit the ignition. Sparks erupted, sending a trail of flame straight to the fuel tank, the explosion screaming to life within the metal beast. Glass shattered, twisted metal blowing apart as a fiery roar ripped the chopper apart. The sound was a high-pitched shriek, combined with a massive clap of thunder. The blast lifted the chopper, pushing it forward, throwing it into a mangled heap. Flaming shrapnel flew aimlessly, several burning chunks plunging into the farmhouse windows.

Justin had fled the instant the door was shut, and the shockwave hurtled him through the air, dumping him into the dirt. He looked back to see a huge fireball, shrapnel and cinders still raining down on him. The explosion had destroyed the back, tail hanging loosely from the rear, the cockpit nothing but a shell, all shrouded by smoke and flames. Close behind it, the house was still being pelted by the burning debris, and in a few seconds, the dry curtains caught, a quickly growing blaze visible from within. Schultz's men were soon everywhere, confused looks on their faces, searching frantically for a fire extinguisher.

"Max…" Justin was delirious, getting up to head toward the burning aircraft. "_Max!_"

Dietrich held him back. "Justin, stop."

"Justin, don't be foolish," Ages grabbed his wrist. "There was nothing we could do."

Pollux and Mason joined them, and Justin soon gave in to the pressure. He could only stare at the burning helicopter, looking as though a nightmare were unfolding in front of him. He hissed under his breath, "This isn't happening," before collapsing to the ground, burying his face in his hands.

The others watched as the men from NIMH desperately tried to extinguish the flames, with both the helicopter and the house now engulfed. But they didn't have the right equipment, and the fire soon raged beyond their control. Soon they were forced to step back, powerless against the fire.

"Not like this," Justin muttered. "It wasn't supposed to happen this way."

"We did our best, Justin," said Ages. "The odds were stacked against us from the beginning, but Max sacrificed himself for the rest of us. It doesn't make me feel any better either," he continued. "But he saved us all, Justin."

A plume of smoke billowed from the house, spreading in the sky like a black cloud coming straight from the ground. The frame could barely be seen through the blurry haze of orange and yellow, wood crackling harshly as the scents of burning timber, cloth, and the most disturbing, flesh permeated the air.

"We should go now, Justin," Ages said softly. "Once things calm down, maybe we can recover his body, but right now, we should seek cover.

Justin agreed against his will, he and the others leaving the field just as the Fitzgibbons' house crumbled to the ground.

(****)

Daylight poured in through the entrance tunnel. Jenner's onslaught had continued throughout the night, never full-scale, but the assault had been consistent and never let up. Many on Orion's side had been wounded, and five of Jenner's had been killed before morning. But he wasn't deterred by the casualties, and continued the advance. He'd gotten past several barricades, though there was still some distance before he became a real threat.

The air grew thicker, muggier, the farther they got from the entrance, and Orion could see the looks of worry growing worse with each fallback they had to take. Yet, he did his best to drive them on, trying to avoid showing any signs of stress himself. He'd been up for almost two days straight, and his mind zoned out as he fired his weapon with machine-like accuracy. He glanced at the wet streak on his arm, created by all the times he'd wiped sweat from his forehead. His uniform was also damp with perspiration. The bandage covering the stump of his ear had trouble staying on, but the wound had been clotted over by dry blood, so it didn't really matter. He stood on the frontlines, he and the men ducking behind the crates when arrows flew at them, returning fire at every opportunity.

The past few hours had found them in a stalemate. Jenner's men had reached the fourth barricade, twenty-five feet in from the entrance. Though each side had a large supply of those ready to fight, there was very limited space for them to do so.

Most of the morning had passed under fire before Orion suspected something, able to hear strange sounds behind the chaos, almost as though Jenner's men were working on something. He had no idea what it could be, however, not able to get even a glance behind the stream of traitors. Unfortunately, he took too long a pause, and wasn't watching the enemy. An arrowhead sliced sharply across his left shoulder, and he fell backward, dropping his crossbow as his right hand flew to the wound. The pain was white-hot, and blood was beginning to seep through his fingers, running down his arm.

"Sir, you alright?" Kyle soon asked.

"I'm fine," said Orion. "Go take my spot. Hold them off."

He looked back at his arm, pulling his hand away. The cut was deep, clean, and he cursed himself for not paying attention. He then headed back to the next barricade, where there was a group waiting to give medical attention to any who needed it. To get to it, one had to travel around a slight bend, which would prove difficult to Jenner's advance, if he made it that far. Though his men were surprised to see him, they wasted no time in binding his wound, while also telling him to go further into the lair to get some rest. Orion would have none of it.

"How's the position holding?" someone asked.

"We're dug in pretty solid," said Orion. "But I don't know…something just doesn't feel right."

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, something's wrong," Orion clarified. "Jenner's up to something; I can feel it."

He paced around, rotating his shoulder, wincing in pain. "He hasn't moved in hours," he continued. "And I'm expecting that, at any minute, he's going to try something, something drastic."

Just then, there was thunderous commotion from up ahead. Orion paused, puzzled, when he heard static crackling over the intercom.

"_Captain!" _a voice said urgently. _"Captain!"_

"What is it?" Orion questioned.

"_We did it!" _the voice exclaimed, now excited. _"We've pushed him back; Jenner's falling back!"_

His jaw dropped. "What? When?"

"_Just a moment ago. We took out two more of his men, and they just started falling back. We're gonna follow them, and drive them out."_

"No, wait—"

A new signal cut into the transmission.

"_Are you there, Orion?" _

The voice was Jenner's.

"I'm here," spat Orion.

"_Do me a favor, Orion," _the psychopath purred over the speaker. _"When you inform your men's families of their deaths, be sure to point out it was _your _carelessness that got them killed."_

Orion's gut twisted, and he realized Jenner had lured them right into a trap. He bolted down the corridor, finding the barricade abandoned, his men going after Jenner's.

"No, get back!" he screamed desperately. "Get back! It's a tra—"

The shockwave threw him back, hard enough to knock the wind out of him. The detonation was loud enough he was instantly deafened, and his head rang with pain as a hot blast of sulfur and gunpowder threw him back to the wall. Dirt and shrapnel fell in all directions, the ground rumbling with such force that layers of soil rained from the ceiling, dust filling the air. Orion couldn't see his hand in front of his face, and through the roar he could hear his men scream as the roof caved in on them.

Orion landed with his back to the wall, trapped in a daze as he coughed up dust, dirt, and blood. Chunks of soil still fell around him. He could barely see, barely hear, and his body was numb. He gagged on the filthy air, energy fading every second, and he struggled to remain conscious as reality slipped away.

_Why would he do that? _He thought, though was sure it'd been done to wipe out Jenner's men. _But, why would he seal off his only way in? The front gate's completely secure, and the only way through it would be to—_

Before he completed the thought, he was on his feet and running, yelling, ordering his men to the front gate.

(****)

Justin and the others had spent most of the morning watching the men from NIMH clear out the destruction caused by the explosion. Stavros had been on the scene within an hour, and the look on Valentine's face was enough to tell the rats they'd been successful. He was in charge now, and he had to answer all the hard questions. The NIMH project had become a disaster, and Valentine had tried to pass the blame to Schultz's near-obsessive lunacy, though it apparently wasn't enough for Stavros. The entire operation had been a black eye on the agency for years, and they knew covering all the damage was going to be difficult.

Schultz hadn't died from the blast. She'd struggled too frantically with her seatbelt, and had perished from smoke inhalation. It had been anything but easy, as most of her skin and clothing had burnt away before she'd finally succumbed. The helicopter had burnt to a shell, and the farmhouse had been completely leveled. Soon after Stavros had arrived, they'd begun investigating the cause of the explosion, and there had been quite a commotion when they'd opened the fuel hatch, finding the scorched corpse of a rat. The story was that, whoever had last done maintenance on the helicopter, they'd left the hatch open, and that the rat had somehow gotten inside. In its struggle to escape, it'd cut open the fuel line, which had then been ignited by sparks from the ignition. They knew it was far-fetched, but also that everything about the project had been and, as ridiculous as it was, the story was good enough was Stavros. He'd ordered everyone off the site, had called in a clean-up crew to take care of the mess. Max's body had been retrieved during that gap of time, taken from the patch of dirt it had been tossed in after discovery. They created a stretcher out of various supplies, then left the scene.

The walk back was silent for them. Pollux led, with Justin and Dietrich carrying the stretcher. Ages and Mason brought up the rear. Storm clouds threatened the sky, as they headed slowly through the undergrowth, soon coming to the concrete bridge. They could feel the vibrations in the earth before they even stepped on the ledge.

Steadily, the vibrations grew stronger, louder as they reached the bridge's midpoint. The roar of a train whistle sounded as it passed beneath, blowing out an enormous cloud of steam. The pair steadied themselves against the vacuum, earth shaking violently as the train snaked its way along the rails. Justin glanced at Pollux just in time, ducking beneath the rat's slashing blade. The sword crashed against the concrete, and Justin lunged forward, tackling him. After a brief exchange of blows, he kicked himself free, pulling his sword free. They clashed as only two masters could, Justin blocking everything Pollux threw at him. Though both were skilled, Justin was stronger, and he used his strength to shove Pollux closer to the edge. Losing ground quickly, Pollux forgot his swordplay, focusing more on not falling. It quickly turned into a reverse tug-of-war, their blades connecting at the hilt. In several seconds, Justin saw his chance, twisting Pollux's arm behind his back, making Pollux scream in pain. He then grabbed the rat's collar, holding him close to the bridge's edge.

"Give me one reason why I don't kill you now!" he yelled furiously.

His face was twisted in rage and pain, but Pollux still found a way to smirk back at him.

"Because, you're not man enough to do it," he hissed. "You're soft and you know it!"

Justin's grip only tightened.

"Why are you doing this?" he demanded. "Who put you up to this?"

Pollux just laughed. "That's for me to know, and foe you to find out!"

He threw his body over the edge, pulling Justin with him. The two rats crashed on a boxcar, the force of impact throwing them apart. Pollux recovered first, smashing wildly on the roof, Justin barely avoiding each strike. Soon, Justin rolled to one side, and kicked Pollux's knees out from under him. They both clamored back to their feet, the bridge they'd stood on vanishing into the distance. The wind whipped by, making accuracy difficult, and the train's constant shifting made keeping their footing almost impossible.

The train passed under another small bridge, sending them into blackness. Once more, their blades clashed, each strike more powerful than the last. They tumbled several times, recovering quickly, fighting until their hands were numb. The struggle threatened to become a stalemate when Justin abruptly lost his balance, falling to his back. Pollux leapt forward, bringing his sword down, landing on Justin's crouched legs. Justin caught the rat's arms, the struggle continuing as Pollux fought to get his blade in Justin's throat.

"Next time you have a chance to kill someone," he snapped between grunts. "Don't hesitate."

Immediately, Justin released the rat's hands, throwing his head to the side to avoid the falling blade. Caught off-guard, Pollux couldn't react as, at the same moment they passed beneath another bridge, Justin kicked him high into the air. The sound of crunching bone was audible over the train's rumbling, as Pollux connected with the concrete, going sickeningly limp. Justin scrambled to his feet, watching as the corpse bounced off a car, plunging to the ground.

"Thanks for the advice," he hissed as an afterthought. He went back for his blade, then moved to the edge of the car. There was some loose rope about his waist, and he tied one end to the handrail, taking the slack in his hands. He rappelled down the side, bracing himself near the bottom while he waited for an opening. A wide patch of grass soon came into sight, and he launched himself from the car, letting the rope slip through his grasp to gain distance, as well as slow his fall. At the last possible moment, he let go, the grass seeming to float beneath him before coming quickly upon him. Throwing his body in a roll, he crash-landed in the soil.

Gradually, the world stopped spinning, and Justin paused to watch the caboose drive by. He then picked himself up, going back toward the others.

(****)

Jenner's bomb had shaken the entire earth, the blast echoed like thunder through the valley. From his point of view, far from the lair, Cameron could see everything that happened, and he stared wildly at the carnage. Where the rear entrance had stood was now nothing more than a huge pile of rubble, and the hillside had been reduced to a gaping mound of dirt.

The blast had sent a plume of soil in the air, leaving a trail of dust as it filtered to the ground. The fortified front entrance had also been hit. The steel structure had been ripped from the ground, twisting into a scorched wreck, a large chunk of hillside collapsing as well. The sliding metal door had been shredded like cardboard, and his army surged toward the new weakness. They did all the dirty work, while Jenner, Castor, and Sasha hung back, watching everything that happened.

Unaware of the bombings, an enraged Cameron marched up to Jenner.

"What in the name of God have you done?" he shouted.

"Creating a hole," said Jenner, somewhat irritated.

"You already had a 'hole'," said Cameron. "You never said anything about more bombs. This is madness, Jenner," he added. "By the time you're done, there won't be anything left!"

Silently, Castor and Sasha stood by, listening as Jenner spoke, his face inches from his comrade's.

"Cameron, you are quickly becoming a thorn," he said calmly. "If you continue to question my actions, my motives, and my authority, I can only assume that you are no longer on my side, and have become an adversary. Do you want this?"

"Someone has to say something," Cameron snapped. "Your minion and your whore over there might not have the guts to speak up, but I do," he took a hard breath. "You've _completely _lost grip with reality! You'll have all of us dead by the end of this, if you keep up these destructive activities! What good is seizing control of the colony if there _isn't _a colony left?"

Jenner grabbed him by the collar. "This is your last warning," his voice was louder, though still calm. "I swear I will get rid of you just as easily as I acquired you."

"What are you going to do?" Cameron scoffed. Kill me? I think I'm much too important for you to just—"

His breath rushed out as Jenner drove a sword through his chest, the cut clean through his ribs, blade shoved through his back.

"Actually, you're not," he said flatly, completing the thought. Cameron reached out, but Jenner knocked his hand aside, still holding grasping his collar. Choking, Cameron coughed up blood, the look on his face one of utter surprise, confusion. But then Jenner twisted the blade, watching the life fade from the rat's eyes. He then pulled the sword free, the fresh body falling to the ground. He then glanced at Sasha and Castor.

"What?" he asked, wiping the blade clean.

"You never said you were going to kill him," said Sasha, shocked by her husband's sudden murder.

"He became a liability," said Jenner casually. "He didn't have the balls to go through with this, and became more harm than good. Do you have a problem with that?"

She stuttered at his cold words. "W-Well, no…"

"Good. Now, find someone to dispose of this mess." He left then, leaving Sasha and Castor to their own thoughts.

"Cameron was right," she said. "He's gone mad."

"No, there's a difference between madness and ambition." Castor sounded unsure of his words. "Cameron was weak," he continued. "A bad link in the chain that was only hurting us all; Jenner was just cutting loose unnecessary excess."

"Just keep telling yourself that, Castor," she said. "Keep saying that until your time comes."

"Shut up," he got in her face. "Just stick to the plan, and it'll all work out just as Jenner designed it to."

"Sasha!"

Jenner was standing a few feet away, and motioned for her to follow him, stopping at the tree line. Sasha went slowly, giving Castor an extra-long glance.

"Castor, clean that up," repeated Jenner, then vanished into the woods.

Sasha followed cautiously, and they were well into the forest before he turned behind a large tree. She followed, keeping even distance between them, but had no choice to come close once he stopped. He stood next to the trunk, turning to face her, holding out his hands. After brief hesitation, Sasha settled her hands in his palms. His fingers closed gently over hers, but then he suddenly forced her against the tree, pinning her arms above her head, up against the bark

"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" he asked.

"Why shouldn't I be?" she replied. "You just killed my husband."

"I've killed many," he said. "And each of them had something in common with your husband. Do you know what that is?"

"What?"

"You didn't care about any of them."

"So?" she said. "He _was _your ally, and if you can discard him so easily, then what about the rest of us?"

"I'd hoped you would have been better than that," he still held her arms back. "Cameron was less an ally and more an accessory, a tool I used to get something I wanted."

"And what was that?"

He flashed a rare, genuine smile.

"You." He released her wrists, pressing his body to hers and stroking her hair.

"There are other ways to a girl's heart," she almost grinned. "Than running her husband through his."

"Well, you know me," he shrugged. "I like to be creative."

"You were going to kill him all along," she realized. "Weren't you?"

"Sooner or later," he shrugged again. "He just drove me to choose sooner. Besides," he added slyly. "I hated the idea of sharing you with him."

She wrapped her arms around his waist, pulling him closer.

"You haven't shared me for a long time," she said. "I can't even remember the last time I was with Cameron."

"But you remember the last time you were with me, don't you?" he started kissing her neck.

"I remember," she leaned back. "But it's been a while; I might need you to remind me."

"With pleasure."

He all but ripped off his belt and shirt, simply hiking her dress above her waist. He lifted her, pushing her back against the tree. Their kisses were rough and passionate as he forced himself into her, and she welcomed him gladly, wrapping her legs around his waist, clawing his back. He held her steady with the left, and his right hand slipped around her thigh. Sasha's breath grew louder, more ragged, every time he pushed against her. It was one thing Jenner had always liked about her. She was loud and rough in bed, and he was giving her just what she liked. He pounded her back hard against the tree, grunting and snarling, loose bits of bark and soil tumbling around them. To anyone who didn't know better, it looked and sounded like he was punishing her. For several minutes, his muscles taut, he ground his body against hers, sweating heavily beneath his loose clothes. Sasha simply wrapped her arms around him, clung to him as she burned, inside and out, from ecstasy. In a short while, he snarled louder than ever, pulling her hair as his pelvis crashed viciously against hers. He slammed her once more into the tree, pushing his organ to the greatest depth before releasing, body spasming. His claws dug into her skin, drawing blood, and she screamed in delight, succumbing to passion. His tongue and teeth ran along her damp throat, and she purred in pleasure. His body jerked, releasing the last few drops as he was pulled tightly against her. Her thighs had been bruised by the pressure, her back cut unmercifully by the tree's bark, but she savored every moment of it.

He stood, pressed against her, both silent, save for heavy breaths. After a moment, he ran his hand between their legs, where they were still joined, making her moan and writhe as his fingers probed. He soon brought his hand up, dark fur dripping with fluid, and he rubbed his claws along her lips. She licked it up gladly, then he offered his own tongue, the kiss raw and messy.

"You love what I do to you, don't you?" he asked.

"Oh, yes," she replied breathlessly. "And you can do it to me for the rest of our lives."

(****)

Ages was so stunned by Justin and Pollux falling from the bridge, that he didn't notice what happened behind him. Mason had unsheathed his blade without hesitation, marching silently closer to the mouse. Thankfully, Dietrich saw what was happening, and quickly freed his own blade, diving to block Mason's blade.

"No!"

Their swords clashed, and Dietrich tumbled to the ground. Face locked in a wide-eyed stare, Ages quickly backed from the fray.

"Out of the way, Dietrich," Mason cried angrily. He brought his sword down, the blade cracking against Dietrich's leg. The downed rat had been trying to straighten, groaning in pain as the edge cut deeply into him, though he still had enough sense to react, driving his heel into Mason's groin.

Dietrich leapt to his feet while Mason was doubled-over, ramming his blade straight through Mason's heart. Death was almost instant, and the body soon collapsed on Dietrich's legs, making him writhe in pain. The blade had cut deep into his calf, pain burning worse than fire. He struggled to shove the corpse away, the pain soon becoming unbearable.

Suddenly, Ages was there, helping to shove the body away. They sat motionlessly, staring at Mason's corpse while the train rumbled by.

"He was supposed to kill me…" Ages said blankly.

Dietrich sighed.

"We both were," he said softly.

The old man startled. "What?"

"Mason, Pollux, and I," Dietrich continued. "We were all sent to kill you. We were supposed to complete the mission, then murder everyone before we returned."

"But…by who?"

"Jenner," the rat's voice was harsh. "We were sent by Jenner."

Ages gasped. "Jenner's alive?"

"_Yes,_" said Dietrich. "And he's back in Thorn Valley. We were all working with him."

"Why?"

"Because, we all believed in a cause…"

"And, just _what _made you change your mind?"

There was a long pause.

"I don't know," said Dietrich at last. "Somewhere along the way, I just realized it was wrong."

"Well, now what?" said Ages. "Because for all we know, Justin may be dead, and I assume Jenner had some kind of plan for Thorn Valley while he was away?"

"It's a long story," said Dietrich. He tore open a pack, looking for a bandage. "But right now, we should follow these tracks and look for Justin," he sighed again. "We need to get back, before it's too late."

After his leg was bandaged, he and Ages dragged Max's body across the bridge. Dietrich's wound was deep, making it almost impossible for his right leg to bear weight. They made sure Max and the supplies were well hidden, then set out to find Justin, going slowly because of Dietrich's limp. Several hours passed before they met up with Justin, who'd long since figured out what'd been going on. To save time, Justin helped Dietrich on the way back, and when they'd returned to the landing spot, Jenner's former comrade explained what'd happened to a confused Archer and Brenda. It was soon clear that a return to the valley was needed immediately, but neither Jeremy nor Tiffany were anywhere to be found.

(****)

"How many are dead?" Nicodemus said gravely.

"I don't know," said Orion. "Ten, maybe twenty."

They spoke within the confines of the library, where much of the colony had been barricaded, their position even more desperate now that Jenner had breached the lair's unprotected side.

"There's too much rubble to tell now," the guard finished sadly.

The old rat heaved a deep sigh.

"He simply will not rest until he has destroyed us all," he said. "He must be stopped, before any more lives are lost."

"That's the hard part," said Orion. "We never anticipated a move like this. He's moved in deep now, and it's hard to say where he may be, or where to concentrate our defenses."

He gave a harsh, bitter sound. "Goddamn it, this is a big fuck up!"

"Do not hold the blame yourself, Orion," Nicodemus told him. "None of us could have predicted such a monstrous attack. You mustn't dwell on your mistakes," he continued. "And instead, concentrate on your strengths."

Sarah had taken a brief leave of the Brisby children, and was now kneeling beside Nicodemus.

"Nicodemus is right," she said. "Jenner _can _be stopped, and you_ can_ stop him."

Orion turned away, scratching at his wounded ear.

"I don't know," he spoke softly. "Maybe—"

Sarah stood, moving in front of him.

"_Yes, _you can," she spoke encouragingly. "I know you can."

She reached out, taking his hands in hers.

"I've always believed you can accomplish anything," she continued. "You always could, and I still believe in you."

He gazed at her, gazed in her eyes. He may have been younger than her, but she had an innocence he admired; she was trusting and loving. She was the sweetest person he knew, and he knew he would rather die than have her come to harm.

He ran his nails through her hair, watching the smile that always made him feel alive, and, that suddenly, the thought hit him.

She noted the abrupt change in his expression.

"What is it?" she asked.

"I have an idea," he replied.

"Tell me," she said. "What is it?"

He shook his head. "No, it's better you don't know."

"But Orion—"

"No, hush now," he said. "I need you to stay here. Keep yourself safe, this'll all be over soon."

He kissed her forehead, jogging off into the darkness. A few minutes later, he ran into Arthur.

"I've got a plan," he said.

"What is it?" asked Arthur.

"There's no time to explain," said Orion. "Just trust me."

He glanced behind him.

"Now, I want you to order the men to hold their positions; make _no _advancements, no matter how safe it looks."

"Orion, wait," Arthur held out a hand. "Why not?"

"You'll know soon enough," said Orion, starting to run off. "Just go, do it!"

He was gone before Arthur had a chance to reply, though he wasn't going toward the battle. Orion ran to the destroyed rear entrance.

* * *

><p><em>Okay, I know there aren't many changes now, but I assure you, they're coming!<em>


	12. To the Hilt

The sky was dimming, and Justin paced the grass, growing more temperamental with each minute that passed. He gazed at the clouds, looking for answers.

"Where the hell is he, damn it?"

Brenda knelt by Dietrich, wrapping a fresh bandage over the wound in his leg.

"So, what are we going to do?" she asked.

"I don't know," Justin sighed, then turned to Dietrich. "If you say you don't know what Jenner was planning, then I don't know."

"He never told us _anything_," Dietrich explained. "That was his thing. If nobody knew what was going on, then nobody could fuck it up."

"Yes, this was defiantly a fuck up," Justin snapped. "One big fuck up; it's too bad you didn't grow a conscience a little sooner."

"Look, I said I'm sorry," said Dietrich, then he sighed. "You know what Jenner's like; he just sucks you right in, and you forget about anything else."

"If any of my friends are dead," Justin spat. "'_Sorry' _isn't going to cut it."

"Well, I'm not the one slowing us down right now," scoffed Dietrich. "We would've been back by now if that stupid bird would get here."

Justin growled. "Don't you even _try _to pass the blame—"

"Knock it off, both of you!" Brenda was getting tired of their childish fighting. "This isn't helping, and it won't change the past; we need to work together now. We're all on the same page now," she continued. "And that's what matters, and your bickering isn't going to do anything, except give the rest of us a headache!"

They all became silent, knowing she was right. However, they were helpless to do anything, having to wait until Jeremy and his mate returned.

(****)

Orion slowed as he neared the devastation caused by the explosion. The rear tunnel had caved in, and the floor was littered with debris. The wooden crates had been reduced to splinters, and huge chunks of dirt and brick had been blown from the walls. Several crossbows, as well as loose arrows, were strewn about, and an electrical wire hung from an open wound in the ceiling. Miraculously, the solitary bulb at the end still glowed with life.

He climbed a pile of loose soil near the exit, and began throwing aside handfuls of dirt. He dug rapidly, at the same time choking on dust. If his plan worked, then his men could surprise Jenner from behind, as he focused on the front entrance. He just hoped he could get out without attracting attention. The walls and ceiling fell away, and there was a patch of black as he punched through. The cool breeze of night welcomed him, and he worked on getting it wider, when his claws scraped against something hard. His blood ran cold when he unearthed an arm, and he realized it was one of his dead guards. It only drove him harder to find an advantage, and once the hole was big enough, he grabbed a working crossbow and shoved it through, then started crawling out himself. The night air was a refreshing change from the stuffy interior of the lair.

He was half out when someone gripped his arms. Violently, his body lurched forward, and he was thrown to the ground. His eyes flew open, and he found himself staring at the gleaming tip on an arrow, the bolt trained right between his eyes.

"Jenner said he thought you would try something, _Captain,_" the rat holding it said.

Orion started to rise, but another rat slammed their foot on his chest.

"Don't even think about it," this one hissed, then he scoffed. "You're lucky Jenner wants you alive."

He gripped Orion's collar, yanking him to his feet while the other rat kept his crossbow trained on their prisoner's back. They motioned toward the main entrance, and Orion went accordingly.

Most of Jenner's men had gone inside, but there were still a few left in the field, the area lit by a small fire. Jenner was sitting on a tree limb with his sword in front of him. The tip was buried in the ground, and he had his arms crossed over the hilt. A flash of glee crossed his features when he saw the captured Captain coming near.

"Orion, so good of you to join us," he said with false cordiality. "I've been expecting you. Figured you'd try some bold stunt. Shame you're so predictable," he added. "Otherwise, this might have been a surprise."

"Sorry to disappoint you," spat Orion. "Maybe in the future, I can learn to be as conniving and destructive as you."

The tone vanished, but the triumphant smile stayed. "Don't count on it."

Orion looked around the camp. The small number of rats sitting around the fire were probably those Jenner trusted most, Castor and Sasha sitting closest to him. Mrs. Brisby was there as well, her hands bound with rope, the other end held firmly by Jenner.

"Where's your buddy, Cameron?" he asked. "Is he off taking a leak?"

"Oh, he's leaking," said Jenner. "But he won't be joining us tonight…or ever again."

Orion looked for reaction in Sasha's face, seeing nothing, then sent a quick wink to Mrs. Brisby, to send her a ray of hope. "So, I assume you want me for something."

Jenner stood, walking to the man.

"I see you have a little cut," he said, eyeing the bandaged arm.

Orion shrugged. "I've had worse."

"Oh, I see," Jenner noticed the missing ear. "I'll be _that _hurt."

"A little."

Jenner paused, sizing Orion up before he spoke.

"I'm going to get right to the point, _Captain,_" he said. "I'm growing very weary of seeing your face pop up uninvited. The only reason I'm letting you live is to deliver a message for me."

"Why not deliver it yourself?"

Jenner sneered. "Because it's not my decision to make," he chuckled. "It is up to you and Nicodemus to decide. You can forget about ever seeing Justin, and the others, alive, and like Justin," he continued. "You are far too trusting. You made a mistake by letting Castor load half the team with my men. Now, I think you and I both know that Justin will surely accomplish his objective, but he won't be ready when my men butcher him and the others, all due to this fatal trusting flaw. This leaves only you and Nicodemus to lead the rats, so here is what you two have to decide.

"If you don't surrender within five minutes," Jenner stated. "I'll set fire to the farm and burn all your crops, and those gone, most of you will starve through the winter, those of you that don't die by the end of the night, that is. Make no mistake, Orion," he added. "You and your men are cornered, and _we _have the advantage. Surrender now, or die and leave your fellow rats to starve a slow death."

Orion acted unaffected by the words. "So, when do the five minutes begin?" he asked. "Now or when I get back?"

Jenner squeezed the rat's bandaged arm. "They begin _now._"

Orion winced, still keeping his composure. "Is there anything else you want me to tell them?"

"Yes," Jenner laughed. "Be sure to inform Sarah that she will not die immediately with the rest of you, should you choose to continue your pitiful fight…I have something special planned for her. Now go," he shoved Orion toward the entrance nodding at his men to let the rat pass. When he was gone, Castor walked to his leader.

"You _do _realize it's going to rain soon?" he asked.

"_And?_" said Jenner, slightly irritated.

"Water puts out fire," said Castor, almost condescending.

Jenner looked up at the darkening clouds, scrunching his eyebrows.

"We've got plenty of time," he said. "And besides, I'm sure that Nicodemus wouldn't want _any _of his precious farm land burnt up."

(****)

"Hey, you guys are back already?" Jeremy landed as thunder clapped, surprised to see the group assembled.

"_Where _have you been?" Justin demanded.

"I was just, uh…" Jeremy was lost for words, having detected the rat's foul temper. "I-I just didn't expect you back so soon," he said. "I'm sorry."

"Well, we need to head back _now_," Justin said, and began shoving supplies back into a basket.

"Okay, we can do that," the bird said hesitantly. "But there's just one problem…"

"What?"

"I…I can't carry all of you."

"What the—"

Brenda held out a calming hand.

"Your mate," she said to Jeremy. "Where is she?"

"Oh, I don't know," Jeremy said, embarrassed. "She's, uh…"

"That's fine," Brenda ignored Justin's glare. "You can take at least _half _of us back, can't you?"

"Yeah, sure," the bird said happily. "Whenever you're ready."

Justin turned to the others. "So, who's going," he asked. "And who's staying?"

"Leave me here," said Dietrich. "I'm no good anyway. Why don't you, Brenda, and Ages go?" he asked. "Me and Archer can carry Max back. You guys are more important right now; they need you."

Archer just nodded in agreement, and Justin didn't give it a second thought.

"Okay, that settles it," he said impatiently. "C'mon, you two, get your stuff together."

The three of them loaded their basket, taking off beneath a darkened sky.

(****)

Jenner had ordered his men to take Orion safely through their strongholds. They'd gotten in far through the main entrance. They'd even set up the reverse of Orion's plan, only Jenner had made a very large tactical error, and Orion was going to exploit it. Once he'd gotten past the final rat, he bolted to the library, a plan quickly taking shape in his mind.

Jenner's mistake had been allowing Orion to see where his men were stationed, and how many of them there were. He'd had complete visual access to Jenner's point of entry, had memorized every location, and how many men occupied it. He knew what supplies they had, their weapons, and what their backup looked like. It had all been exposed to him, and Jenner didn't even realize it, or, if he did, he didn't think Orion was smart enough to utilize it. Once he was inside, the heavy doors were slammed shut, and he wasted no time in outlining his plan.

"So, what are we gonna do?" asked Arthur.

"We don't have much time," said Orion. "We're gonna surprise them. We have to hit them hard, with everything we've got," he continued. "And we've got to keep giving it to them."

"They expect a cease-fire," he said after a minute. "But they'll never see it. But we have to strike _now. _We only have two minutes, at the most."

"Then this is it," said Nicodemus, nodding. "It has come down to this. Orion, be careful. There is much at stake, but I trust you will be victorious, just do not make it a Pyrrhic victory."

Orion nodded, then turned to his men.

"Everyone, lock and load," he began. "Drop what you don't need, grab all the arrows you can carry. It's _our _turn to take this fight to him, so let's do this, and let it be the end of it all."

(****)

Elizabeth tried easing the burn of the rope around her wrists, but it was no use. Jenner saw her shifting, smiling at her discomfort.

"It'll all be over soon, Mrs. Brisby," he said, and tightened his fingers around the rope in his palm.

"And just _what _do you have planned for me afterwards?" she said, more than asked, her voice unwavering. "Are you going to kill me?"

"I don't know," Jenner said distractedly. "I haven't really thought of it. I could just kill you," he continued. "But if I wanted to do that, I could have a long time ago. You're no use as a bargaining chip, since I have nothing to bargain for…" he trailed off, watching his men douse the fields with kerosene, but then he brought his face closer to hers, the playfulness gone from his voice.

"Maybe," he said quietly. "Maybe I'll just _fuck you_…that's what I'll do, I'll fuck you, _in front of your children._"

He grabbed her collar, shaking the mouse with every word.

"Maybe I'll do that—while they watch me tear you open and spill your blood on the ground, while they cry and scream!" he shoved her to the ground, pressing his body on top of hers, teeth bared in anger and twisted glee. "And after I've _fucked _you in one end," he continued. "I'll fuck the other, _'til it's bleeding too!_" he spun her on her stomach, shoving his pelvis into her back. Then he paused, his smile widening, and a strand of saliva fell from his lip.

"But, maybe I'll do something else first," he hissed, rolling her on her back. "Maybe I'll fool around a little. After all, I've never tasted mouse flesh before…it might be pretty good…" he grazed her nose with his tongue, and Elizabeth's eyes were wider than ever in fear. He continued crushing her body with his, shaking her viciously.

"Do not even _try _to get cocky with me, Brisby," he growled. "Because I _will_ do it, I will tear open your cunt. I will _fuck _you so far up your ass that you'll be _choking _on me. I will _fuck _you until you _die, _and I'll keep fucking you until your flesh is cold, then I'll fuck your daughters _even worse _than I fucked you!" he clenched his teeth, forcing himself between her legs. "How does that make you feel, Brisby," he demanded. "_How does that make you feel?_"

Suddenly, the sounds of screaming echoed from the entrance, and Jenner's head whipped up at the clamor of battle cries from the caverns. The few left meandering outside quickly rushed in, having realized the same thing the same thing their leader did.

"_Orion," _he seethed. He'd been close to choking Elizabeth, but this new issue captured his attention. He whirled to a passing rat. _"Burn it!" _he screamed.

The confused minion stopped in his tracks. "What?" he asked.

"The fields!" Jenner's voice was hoarse from shouting. "_Burn them_ _now!_"

The other rat still looked confused, but quickly complied, throwing a lit match onto the fuel-soaked land. The fire started small, roaring to life and becoming an orange tsunami, an impenetrable wall of flame beneath a black, starless sky. While the young crops continued to blaze, Jenner turned his attention back to Elizabeth.

"I'll deal with you later," he said, voice low and threatening, then he stood, dragging her with him, ordering hiss men to go on the defensive.

"_Castor!_"

His second in command stopped in his tracks.

"Yes, sir?" he asked.

"Tell those men to fight back," Jenner ordered. "Tell them to kill anything that moves, anyone found not fighting will be slaughtered _immediately. _And if you don't stop those stupid rats from advancing, I will personally have your head!"

Castor nodded blankly, knowing full well the man would live up to his threat. For a brief second, Jenner glanced around.

"Where's Sasha?" he demanded.

Castor gulped. "She's already inside," he said sheepishly.

"Shouldn't you be joining her?" Jenner sounded irritated.

Castor vanished without another word, along with the rest of his men. Jenner was the last to enter, still dragging a terrified Elizabeth. He was ready to finish this war, and he had the taste of blood on his lips.

(****)

At the first of Jenner's blockades, the rats were still under the impression of a cease-fire, and they fell before they knew what hit them. No one saw it coming. With Orion in the lead, he and his men charged fast, hard, firing in all directions, taking out everyone before the cry for help could be raised. Orion fired on two rats, taking them down before there was a chance to react. Soon, others came, Brutus, Arthur, Sullivan, and within seconds the first group had fallen. The traitors hadn't gotten off a single shot, but Orion knew he wouldn't be that lucky every time.

They didn't pause for breath. Orion led them at once to the next group, and in an instant, five more of the enemy fell, and only then did they stop to reload. Orion's clip was half in when one of Jenner's men stumbled across them, with a message from the outside. His eyes bulged from his head, gaze locked on the pile of his dead comrades. He turned to flee, and Orion let his crossbow fall to the ground. Just as quickly, he yanked a small knife from his belt, tossing it with all his strength. The blade embedded itself to the hilt between the rat's shoulder blades, and he fell to the ground in a twisted heap.

"He was a messenger," said Arthur, after kneeling to examine the corpse. "He wasn't armed." He stood motioning to the back entrance. "I'll bet anything he was suppose to report back."

"They're gonna notice him missing before long," said Orion. He retrieved his crossbow and finished reloading it.

"Let's move. The next room has five more, but after that is the atrium."

The atrium was a large juncture of hallways that intersected in one area. It was an open space, and would be a difficult assault.

The next group must have heard something, because they were on their guard. Orion and his men were hit with a blast of arrows, the one in front of him shot through his chest. The others quickly fired back, overpowering Jenner's group with sheer numbers. Quite soon, four more of them were dead, though two of Orion's had been killed, four wounded.

"Shit, there should've been five of them here," said Orion. "They sent a runner back to warn the others."

He turned, seeing the horde of guards that waited behind him. There were ten in the room, dozens more waiting in the halls behind.

"This is it, men," he said loudly. "They're gonna be ready. Move fast, close the gap. If we can force them into close quarters fighting, we can definitely overpower them. Have your swords ready," he chambered his crossbow, baring his teeth. "Kill 'em all."

He ran headlong into the hall, his men a step behind. A few seconds later, and the hallway gaped into the atrium. He fired blindly as they flooded the room, charging the rats who'd been ready. Jenner's men fired back, unable to keep up with the moving targets, several arrows flying wildly. Arthur took a bolt to the shoulder, but it didn't slow him down. He simply tore it out as rats on both sides continued to fall. Orion charged a small group, firing his last rounds, tossing his crossbow aside as he drew his sword. He screamed, bringing the blade down on a rat frantically trying to aim at him. He spun, hitting another with his blade before the rat could draw his own weapon.

The space between the sides closed fast, rendering crossbows useless, and the space became a frenzy of blades, each crash of steel echoing off the walls. Brutus was especially merciless, using his gleaming poleax to rip through anything in his path. As Orion's comrades flooded the room, they quickly began to outnumber Jenner's. Each of the fifteen traitors often had to fight off more than one attacker at a time. In all the chaos, one of Jenner's men escaped, going off to send word for help.

Just when it seemed the Atrium was theirs, a new wave of Jenner's men crashed upon them, but they were undaunted. They were driven by adrenaline, will power, and the sheer desire to defend their home, to fight to the death if need be. But these fighters were stronger than the rest, and they soon discovered that Jenner had been holding back his most skilled warriors.

Orion tripped on a body, and a would-be attacker fell as he chopped across the rat's ankles. He then spun to his back, bringing up his foot to strike the rat's groin. At last he leapt to his feet, slashing the man's throat. He fended off another without a second's rest, noticing the guards were getting higher in rank. His last attacker fell, and he gasped at yet another a familiar face.

"Sasha!"

Sasha smiled.

"Good to see you, Captain," she said sarcastically, before unleashing a lightening attack. Orion parried each of her blows, impressed by her skill.

"You're pretty good for a schoolteacher," he said.

"I've picked up a few things these past years," she replied. He blocked another of her jabs, but the blade left a gash in his shoulder, and he punched her hard in the nose. Her eyes flooded with tears, and, using his blade, he struck her sword below the hilt, smashing her fingers. She dropped her sword, and Orion instantly slashed her across the stomach. She fell to her knees, clutching her belly with tattered hands, and he kicked her square in the jaw. The blow forced her upright, and he shoved his blade through her throat, right between her collarbones. He stared her down, and right before dying, Sasha spit a mouthful of blood in his face.

A rat charged him from behind, ready to strike when Brutus' electric poleax crushed him. Blood splashed Orion's neck, sparking stinging his skin. He glanced back, nodding to the big rat, then kicked Sasha's corpse from his blade. He then surveyed the carnage, seeing that the fighting had stopped. Jenner's remaining soldiers had either retreated or surrendered, and the atrium was littered with bodies. Though some belonged to Orion's men, most of them belonged to Jenner. Orion paid no attention as Arthur came near, ripping his shirt open to bandage the Captain's newest wound. He gritted his teeth in pain, but he didn't complain. He'd been through too much to care, though he had to admit, he was impressed with Sullivan's efforts. The large rat, surprisingly, was quite nimble, having used a busted crossbow as a club. The former weapon had been reduced to bloody splinters. They all knew they had turned the tide, but none of them dared celebrate, because the grisly battle was still far from over.

(****)

Thunder rumbled over Justin's head, and he couldn't even begin to imagine what Jenner had planned. Jeremy flew over the mountains, and Justin's worst nightmares couldn't prepare him for what he saw: the night glowing crimson as trails of flame spread across the valley floor, and plumes of black smoke rose to join the dark clouds above.

Jeremy looked as though he'd seen a demon. "Oh, my God…"

"Hurry," Justin urged him. "Go, go!"

Jeremy's wings beat harder than ever and, after nearly crashing, Justin, Brenda, and Ages piled out, confronted with a growing wall of fire consuming the farmland. Justin stared at the blaze, frantically trying to form a plan.

"Jeremy, take that basket to the lake," he ordered. "Fill it with water and dump it on the flames."

Jeremy nodded, and had just wrapped his talons around the handle when Ages ran up.

"Wait!" he shouted. He retrieved his bag that contained the NIMH serum, setting it carefully at his feet, waving at the bird to go. Justin turned to Brenda.

"Go get help," he said to her. "And be careful."

She nodded, "Right," running to the entrance as Justin and Ages started throwing dirt on the flames. She slowed, however, at seeing the twisted wreck that had once been the front gate. The first drops of rain hit her, and she drew her sword before proceeding through the gaping doorway. She jogged through the dim hall, searching for signs of life, and she never heard the snap of a crossbow from behind.

A bolt slammed into her left shoulder, the force knocking her to the ground. She pushed herself up with her right arm, only to have another arrow slam into that shoulder as well, only this time, from the front. The woman fell to her back, and she was finally able to see her attacker.

Jenner and Castor had hidden in a crevice, covered by shadow. Castor chambered his crossbow, and Jenner held onto Elizabeth, covering her mouth with his hand. But then he started laughing, and his grip loosened.

The young mouse struggled to free herself.

"No, leave her alone!"

"What now?" there was a hint of apprehension in Castor's voice. "The others will be finished soon, Jenner, and we're running out of options."

Jenner motioned toward Elizabeth.

"We still have our bargaining chip," he said confidently. "We'll strangle the amulet out of them, even if we have to skin her alive. They'll give it to us."

"But you said you have nothing to bargain for with me," the mouse said fiercely.

"Let's just say you've suddenly become _very _valuable," Jenner told her.

They looked up at the sound of rain, the drops pounding from above. Brenda writhed on the ground, trying in vain to suppress the pain of her wounds. Castor glanced at her.

"What about her?" he asked.

"Finish her off," said Jenner. "And this time, don't miss."

"No, let her go!" cried Elizabeth. "You've made your point…leave her alone!"

Jenner snatched her up, pinning her to the wall at eye level.

"I've already warned you once, Brisby," he snarled. "If you open your mouth again, I'll break your jaw, so stop tempting me, Mrs. Brisby," he said quietly. "Because you are becoming _very _tempting to me…"

Castor walked away as this went on, readying another shot.

"I never miss," he muttered, and threw Jenner's back a dirty look. He glared down at Brenda, watching her lay with broken arrows in both shoulders. He lifted his crossbow, aiming right for her head. "Say 'goodbye', bitch."

His ears pricked up a second too late. Brutus ran at full speed, poleax held high, and before Castor could raise his crossbow, the blade slashed sideways across his waist, tearing his body in half. His torso flew to the wall, hitting with a thud, landing crumpled like a rag doll. His legs stood a moment longer, then finally collapsed under their own weight, and Jenner turned just as Castor's bloody innards spilled into the dirt. Brutus' strike had also hit the crossbow, blowing it to pieces. A large bit of shrapnel smashed Jenner's hand, forcing him to drop Elizabeth, as well as the rope that held her. Immediately, she began running, getting to a safe spot as Brutus bore down on Jenner.

Jenner recovered quickly, yanking his blade free to fight off the rat's attacks. Sparks flew each time their blades connected, but Jenner was ready for Brutus this time, and he unleashed a powerful counter attack. Brutus was unfazed however, and his eyes glowed with rage as he parried the swipes. He caught Jenner's blade in a groove of his ax, twisting it to the ground. His sword pinned, Jenner backhanded the rat in the face, distracting Brutus long enough to free his blade. The two sized each other up, Brutus advancing on Jenner, pushing him back toward the entrance.

Jenner backed slowly, seeing Brutus' eyes burn, the heated cinders cascading from the ax's blade, and he knew this wasn't his fight. He swung his sword for a glancing blow on the ax.

"Another time, my big friend," he said, then turned and retreated. Brutus started to follow, stopping at a voice.

"Brutus, don't!"

It was Elizabeth. He turned to see the mouse tending to Brenda. "She needs help."

Without argument, he sliced the rope from her wrists, then took Brenda in his arms to carry her to the infirmary.

"Take her back to the others," Elizabeth told him. "And send help. Jenner's burning the farm."

He nodded, heading back as the mouse rushed for the entrance. A large clap of thunder shook the ground, and Elizabeth emerged in a steady downpour. The fire was still burning, and she could hear the crackling of the flames, saw Jenner running towards it, towards two forms silhouetted by the shifting glow. It was difficult to tell through the haze, but she was sure one was much taller than the other. She chased after Jenner, realizing suddenly who it was.

"Justin!" she screamed. Justin, look out!"

Justin nearly slipped on the wet grass, whirling around to clash his blade with Jenner's.

"So, you made it after all," the black creature sneered. They lashed out in a quick series of strikes, as though warming up for the main event.

"Sorry to disappoint you," Justin replied, then advanced with his own set of attacks. They circled each other in the mud, sizing each other up.

"Where's the rest of your cronies, Jenner?" he asked, nearly smirking. "There's no one else to help you, and it looks like whatever plan you had has fallen apart." He lashed out with his blade again. "Why don't you make it easy on yourself and give up?"

"I've seen enough heroics for one day," Jenner replied. "It's time your luck ran out."

He unleashed a barrage of monumental blows. Justin's hands burned from the impact, the bones in his wrists crying out in anguish, but he pushed on, blocking everything Jenner threw at him. The fire was receding, flames hissing with each drop that fell. Justin shook the water from his face.

"Looks like you picked the wrong night to play with fire," he said, and tightened his grip on his blade.

"The night's still young," Jenner replied, and metal struck metal once more. Both rats were trained warriors, with knowledge of every attack and defense. It would be up to strength and concentration to decide who emerged victorious.

Elizabeth watched in terror, seeing that Justin had no effect on Jenner's apparently invincible force. He was able to defend himself, as well as unleash his own powerful attacks, but she couldn't help the sinking in her stomach, telling her something bad was about to happen. She could barely watch, fighting to keep her eyes uncovered, but she was also too afraid to look away.

The two locked hilts, pushing against each other in a grudging match. Justin's foothold began slipping beneath Jenner's weight, but he countered by punching the rat in the jaw. His vision blurred, Jenner staggered back, giving Justin room to leap forward, kicking him in the chest. Jenner fell in the mud, lashing out with his feet as Justin advanced on him, knocking the rat to the ground. He then scrambled to his knees, trying to bring his sword down. Justin dodged the careless attack, lunging out with his own desperate blow. Jenner ducked, and both rats clamored back to their feet.

They were both covered in mud, and managed to catch each other's wrists. Once again, each tried to over power the other, Jenner pushing, squeezing Justin's sword arm as Justin did the same to him. They were locked in a power struggle and, with their weapons halted, they stabbed at each other with their eyes. Their arms and bodies twisted, Jenner's sharp teeth gleaming behind his haunting grin. He was slowly gaining strength over Justin, pushing more than pulling on his side. Justin's eyes blazed as he tried to outmaneuver Jenner's brute force, but he was unable to break free of its grip.

Justin's feet were slipping beneath him, mud and rain not helping his cause. Jenner's strength was wearing him down, forcing him lower and lower, and he suddenly threw himself backwards, using Jenner's momentum to his advantage. Jenner fell on top of him, Justin's knee ramming into his gut, his grip loosening as he struggled to breathe. Justin kicked with both legs, sending Jenner flying over his head, landing on his back in the mud. Lightening flashed, lighting the field as Justin and Jenner struggled once more to their feet. Their muscles were aching, fur soaked with ran and mud. Neither had gotten much sleep, neither of them willing to give up. Jenner wrapped both hands around his sword, bringing the blade down with even more crushing force. Justin's sword grew more battered with each hit, and he could barely bring it up to defend himself, let alone try to launch his own attack.

Jenner was striking harder than ever, knowing every inch of his future depended on each hit he made. He pushed Justin steadily backwards, bringing down blow after crushing blow. Finally, as he raised his sword to block another devastating hit, Justin's blade shattered, metal exploding in a silver cloud of dust. Shocked by the power of the hit, he couldn't react as Jenner followed through with lunging stab. Justin used his ruined sword handle, deflecting the blow from his chest, the blade running straight through his left kidney. Jenner then grabbed his shirt, ramming the blade through to the hilt.

Justin screamed in pain, blade tearing through him like fire. He felt as though every inch of his body were burning. His legs collapsed from under him. Jenner slipped to his knees as well, holding his sword in place. Elizabeth shrieked, seeing Jenner's wavy sword run its entire length through Justin's back, covered in glistening ooze and gore, silver tone violently turned dark red. Jenner saw her horrified face, and threw her a wink.

"You're next," he said casually.

"Justin mustered all the strength he could, grabbing Jenner's throat.

"_You'll never touch her,_" he growled through gritted teeth.

Jenner twisted the blade in Justin's guts, Justin releasing his throat and grabbing his sword arm. The pain was earth shattering, making him scream as every nerve, every cell, felt as though it tried to rip itself in two.

"It hurts, doesn't it?" Jenner asked. "Trust me, I know."

He twisted his blade the other way, sending a new set of shockwaves through Justin's body, smiling at the torment he caused.

"You _failed, _Justin," he said. "You failed to protect _her, _to save the others, and do you know _why _you failed?"

He stopped, grinning at his foe's pain. Because you care too much, because you're _weak…_you will _always _be weaker than I."

Justin's eyes were clamped shut, teeth crushing themselves as he tried to handle the pain.

"You can't beat me, Justin!" Jenner continued. "You never had a chance. You never had a single chance!" he laughed. "There's no stopping what can't be stopped, no killing what can't be killed! You can't stop me!"

Justin found the energy to open his eyes, glaring at Jenner as he felt the hands of death close around him.

"But don't worry about it, Justin," Jenner said. "You won't be alone for too long. Your girlfriend over there will be joining you shortly, that is, as soon as I've had _my _way with her."

Thunder crashing, lightening flashing as Justin's world stopped in time. His vision cleared, eyes burning like the flames of hell as his strength returned.

"_Never."_

His right hand left the sword, darting to Jenner's belt. He wretched a knife free, ramming it to the hilt in Jenner's shoulder. Jenner was thrown back, screaming in pain. He slipped, falling forward in the mud, landing on the wound. Quickly, he rose to his knees, grabbing the knife's handle and tearing it from his shoulder.

As Jenner fell back, Justin fell on his hands and knees, but he gave himself no time to rest. He clasped the handle of Jenner's blade, screaming in pain as he tore it out, metal ripping across his burning insides. He could taste the copper of his blood, and pushed himself to his feet, circling around just as Jenner tore the knife from his shoulder. He looked up to see his blade flashing like a lightening bolt, screaming as the metal ripped across his throat.

Jenner's head severed at the neck, the force of Justin's strike sending it into the blaze, and blood erupted from his shoulders like a crimson volcano. After a moment, the body crumpled, blood still flooding heavily from the jugular. Jenner's black heart was still beating, not yet realizing its owner was dead. Justin fell on his back, unable to bear the pain, wounds bleeding freely, and Elizabeth rushed to his side. She was crying frantically.

"Justin, hold on, please!" she sobbed. "Hold on, you'll be okay…please, just stay with me!"

She leaned forward, protecting his head from the rain, taking her hand in his, as he choked, coughed, hacked blood on his chest. His face was contorted in pain, and he tried to look at her, but his vision was dimming. He squeezed her hand tightly, as though doing so would keep him from falling off the earth. He coughed again, gripping his side in agony.

"I-It's pretty bad," he wheezed, barely above a whisper. "I did what I could…I wasn't going to let him trust you…" his voice trailed off.

"And you did," she cried desperately. "You stopped him. You stopped Jenner, you stopped Schultz. You saved everyone, Justin, now you have to stay! You have to see it!" tears streamed down her face, becoming one with the rain. "We need you, _I_ need you…Justin, please, stay with me! Help is coming, please, just hold on; they can fix you. You'll be okay, I swear—"

"No." his voice was faint, so Elizabeth had to her ear to his lips. "No…they can't…only one thing can…"

His voice trailed off again, body curling up in pain. Elizabeth began crying uncontrollably, putting her head on his chest to make sure he still breathed. She saw something through her tears, something dark and blurry, and she had to wipe her face to make it out. She was suddenly aware of Ages resting at her side, but he wasn't the only one.

Orion and Sarah were there, as well as Sullivan, her children, and many others. Several rats tended to the fire, just as many converging on Justin and Elizabeth. In disgust, Sullivan heaved Jenner's body aside, at the same time making room for Brutus, who had Nicodemus clasped in his arms. In the old rat's hands was the amulet, and Elizabeth's eyes widened.

"Nicodemus, the amulet," she pleaded. "It can save Justin, I know it can!" she started crying again. "Please use it…it can save him! I know it can, it can save him!"

"I cannot," Nicodemus said weakly.

Elizabeth was taken aback, as though he'd just struck her. "B-But you have to," she begged. "It's the only thing. He said there was only one thing that could save him," she cried harder. "That has to be it…you _must _use it!"

"My body is too weak, Mrs. Brisby," Nicodemus told her. "I do not have enough life force to save him; the effort would kill both of us. _You _must do it, Mrs. Brisby, only you can save him." He continued, before she could speak. He handed her the amulet, and it instantly glowed brighter. "You have done if before, Mrs. Brisby. You have the gift, the courage, and the strength. Justin's wounds are very deep. He can be saved, but you _must _concentrate; do not think of anything else, except him. Clear your mind of everything, think only thoughts of him, and how much he means to you. Put away all of your other fears and worries." He stopped, gazing into her shaking eyes. "_Concentrate, _Mrs. Brisby."

Elizabeth looked down at her trembling hands, feeling the amulet pulsate in her grasp, as though it were a living heart. She wrapped the chain around her wrist, feeling its warmth surround her. The sensation was burning, yet soothing, her skin tingling as every strand of fur danced on end, but there was also something else. It was another heartbeat, only not as strong, a fading heartbeat. She gazed at Justin, realizing it was _his _heart she felt. She could feel his life in her hands, every blood cell in his veins. She felt every electrical pulse, every neuron firing, every inch of his body, down to the very atoms it was composed of.

She closed her eyes, then opened them again, seeing the world through a red haze that blurred her vision. The glow of the amulet had engulfed her, was feeding her the power she'd always possessed, was tapping into her courage. She looked. Justin's body was in front of her, and it was dying. _He _was dying.

_No, _she thought desperately. _Justin can't die! Justin…can't…die!_

A surge of power beyond her comprehension burst within her, a gleaming shockwave spreading in all directions. Light was everywhere, blinding to the eye. The power manifested itself in her body, producing a glow so brilliant it lit the night sky. Waves of energy flowed through her, waves of energy, time, space, matter, light, love, and, most of all, life. It was all there, all her, the two worlds becoming one. The physical world became something else, far more than she understood. Reality had broken into its most basic components and silently, effortlessly, she controlled it all, could see the very life force of every being around her. She saw the lives of the other rats surrounding her, could see Justin's life fading, and her own in front of her, in its simplest, most visible form; that of pure energy.

She put her hands on his chest, bringing him into her world. His was a world of life and death, hers one without end, beyond the boundaries of life and death, of space and time. In her world, time stood still, because she was in control. In her world, life was a tangible entity, and entity she commanded, and she directed her life, her spirit, the very essence of her being itself, straight into Justin. Everything burned. She forced a world without laws into one based on rules, forced life into emptiness. The two worlds collided, but hers was stronger, and the light and fire cascaded into an upward spiral, growing hotter, brighter. Blinding, searing heat forced the realms together, until at last, they could merge no more, and the two became one.

Then it was gone, in a blinding flash of scarlet light. Elizabeth collapsed on top of him, the rain subsiding, her mind and body drained. Only seconds had passed, but to her, it had been centuries, and her body could take no more. It demanded rest, but she forced herself to stay away. She had to know, had to see.

She scraped every ounce of strength from her withered soul, lifted her head to see his face. Her body, her muscles, her bones begged her to stop, told her to rest, to sleep, but she wouldn't listen. She had to know. She fought off her drifting conscious as it began wandering into sleep, with or without her, struggled with every cell of her body, just to see. He laid still, the pain gone from his face, his eyelids closed as he settled into a peace that was far beyond what he'd ever known. Finally, ever so slightly, his eyes opened, and he felt himself in the presence of some otherworldly warmth. He realized it was Elizabeth, the heart at his side, causing that warmth. Everything before had become nonexistent for that moment, _their _moment.

He saw her, hovering quietly over his head. There was nothing else; no sound, no pain, no fear, only her. Their eyes met, for what felt like the first time in a thousand years, yet it seemed so familiar nothing else would be right. He blinked, wondering, for a moment, if he looked at an angel, then something deep inside told him he was, only she was a different kind of angel. He smiled. Elizabeth knew she had saved him, smiling as well. Her body was drained beyond anything she'd ever known, pleading for rest, but she wasn't quite ready, not just yet. In the moments after the storm, they lay there, holding each other's lives in their arms.

"Justin," she whispered. "I…I love you."

He reached up, slowly, caressing her cheek. "And I love you," he whispered. He felt her warmth as his eyes closed, and a second later, they kissed.


	13. Violent Peace

Justin walked down the long hall to the main entrance. There was a cool breeze that evening, and he wore his cape to hide from the chill. Most rats were coming in for the day, nodding to him as they passed. It had been little over a week since Jenner and his minions had been defeated, and those who'd surrendered had been locked away until Justin and the others decided what to do with them. It was most likely they would be exiled.

Justin stepped outside, seeing where the mangled gate lay in a pile of twisted metal. It had been dug out of the hillside and would eventually be cut into scrap. Looking at the mountain, Justin couldn't help but grip the handle of the sword on his belt. There was no real reason to wear it, all Jenner's men were safely contained, it just made him more comfortable. He shifted his feet, staring into impossibly grey clouds.

Looks like rain," Jacob said as he passed.

"Yeah," Justin spoke absently. "Looks that way."

They nodded, then Justin continued walking, going over the recent events in his head: the deaths of Schultz and Jenner, as well as many of his comrades and enemies. The idea of the colony dividing frightened him, and he wondered if he would be able to lead them beyond this catastrophe. There had been so much death and chaos, the stuff nightmares were made of.

He watched the remaining rats pack it in for the night. Jacob had done a remarkable job with the farm. There had only been a small percentage lost to the fire, as the flames hadn't gotten too deep before the rain had extinguished them. He'd head home in a bit as well, to his new family, and he smiled. There was so much they owed Elizabeth, as twice now she'd warned them of NIMH, but most of all, Justin owed her his life personally. Nicodemus was the only other person who could use the amulet, and almost all his energy had been drained from healing those severely wounded during the battle. There had been no way for him to save Justin, only Elizabeth.

He rubbed absently at his side, where Jenner's blade had pierced him. There was no scar, no trace of a scratch, but he would have died that night, had it not been for her, and Nicodemus had been careful enough to warn her about using the Stone's power, not to exceed beyond what she needed to. To unleash the power carelessly, like she had at the farm, would have meant thinning herself out, over the many dead rats in the lair. The effort would have killed her and, in the end, those rats had been dead far too long. It would've been impossible to save them. It was all such a strange concept, and Justin tried hard not to dwell on it. He didn't get it; he just listened to Nicodemus told him, accepting it at face value.

_Think of the future, _he told himself. He had no desire to live in the past, especially now that they all had such a bright new future ahead of them. There was no more threat of discovery, and their only internal cancer, Jenner, had been cut away, but more questions had also been brought up. He couldn't help but wonder, about the other group of rats, their supposed escape, the ones that had come before them. Was the Alpha group still alive? Had they ended up in a similar situation, created their own colony?

_In the future, _he told himself. _All in the future, Justin. _

He smiled again, content with life for the first time he could remember. For once, he had stability, a comfortable life, and most of all, he had Elizabeth, and just the thought of her, being there whenever he wanted to see her, was enough to warm his skin. The others were also okay. Nicodemus had recovered after some rest, and Brenda's wounds looked like they would heal without any problems. Arthur had joked, half-heartedly, that Brutus should have left Castor for him to take care of, but he'd been very concerned about Brenda's health. He'd felt the greatest of relief upon hearing the cheering news. Dietrich's leg looked like it would heal, though there was a good chance he'd spend the rest of his life with a limp.

Orion's cuts would heal cleanly, though unfortunately, his ear had been too damaged to save. He didn't mind, saying it gave him character. Sarah was also coming along, as the situation's emotional distress had pushed her to fight her internal fears. Most of the time, she looked fairly happy, a good sign, and Justin had a feeling that, from then on, she and Orion would have a long, happy relationship.

_Relationship…_that's what was on his mind as he walked; he was entering the kind of relationship he'd had only once before, a time that felt a thousand years ago, and he had no hesitations. He loved Elizabeth dearly, and nothing was going to stand in his way, not the issues of species, age, or that she had children. He was more than ready to be father to those children, and Ages was more than confident his serum would replicate the effects of NIMH's injections. And the thing of species just didn't matter. What was important to him was moving ahead with a clear conscience.

Tucked in a corner beside the lair was the graveyard. It wasn't too far, but at the same time, not too close and, sadly, there had recently been many additions, from both sides. He walked past various graves, most of them belonging to good friends and acquaintances, paying his respects silently in his head. He stopped briefly before Max's headstone, giving special thanks for his sacrifice, then came to Jessica's. After a great deal of searching and interrogation, they'd discovered her body at the bottom of the lake. It had been a grisly affair, but at least now she had a place to rest. At last, he stopped in front of a grave that, in truth, was really a memorial, as the bodies had been buried long before they'd arrived in the valley. He knelt before this, taking a large rose from his cape, placing it in front of the names of his first wife, as well as their newborn daughter.

"It's been a long time, Selina," he said aloud. "And so much has happened recently…" he trailed off, silent for several minutes, then spoke again. "I think you know why I'm here. I'm not here to say goodbye, not to you or our little girl, because I'll never forget either of you. You both mean so much to me…"

The wind picked up, blowing his cape around.

"I've come here to tell you I'm moving on, and I'll always have a special place n my heart for you." He breathed deeply. "I've met someone, Selina, who is very special to me, whom I love very much. I know, that if you can see me, or hear me, that you probably already know this, but I guess I wanted to tell you myself, to say it out loud. I hope you don't think badly of me. I don't believe you would, but I guess, in a way, I wanted your approval, to know that what I'm doing is okay…"

He remained unmoving for several minutes, kneeling as he looked at the ground, feeling the cool breeze as he listened to the valley. Then, he felt the warmth of the sun, even though it was still covered by dark clouds. He took it as a sign, and smiled, then stood and kissed the top of her headstone. "Rest."

He walked away, again passing graves as he went, stopping abruptly in front of one. It was Jenner's grave, the dirt still fresh. Memories flooded his mind, some good, most bad. Jenner had indeed been a force in his life, had changed the course of their history. But now he was dead, and was no longer a threat to anyone.

"And you," he said quietly, angrily. "I don't care what you think."

Justin always thought ill of speaking poorly of the dead, no matter who it was, but in this case, he made an exception, again kneeling at the grave. "I hope, wherever you are, that you're _very _uncomfortable right now."

The dirt stirred below, and he was suddenly blinded by a blast of dust and dirt. Gagging, he felt something grab his neck, choking him, and his hands grasped a furry arm and, when the soil cleared, he found himself staring into Jenner's eyes. Justin broke free, scrambling back and getting to his feet. He watched the scene erupting in front of him, the dirt on Jenner's grave splitting, flying in the air, Jenner violently emerging. His clothes were tattered, coated in mud, heavily stained by his own blood. It dripped from a thick gash in his throat, a huge stream flowing from his shoulder. Justin moved slowly, jaw gaping and mind reeling.

_No, _he thought. _No, this can't be happening!_

There was no time to think. Jenner pulled out his sword, and it looked like it had been rusting, decaying, for decades. His eyes blazed with fury as he bared rotten teeth, ready to strike. Instinctively, Justin drew his own blade, blocking the attack, everything running far too slowly. There was something deliberate, machine-like, to Jenner's movements, and he remained silent as he attacked. Honed by his years of practice, Justin dodged and parried easily. He didn't understand what was happening, but he somehow knew he was in control, that Jenner couldn't hurt him. In a flash, he knocked the blade from Jenner's grasp, slashing across the demon's chest. Justin moved behind as Jenner doubled over, raising his blade and driving it straight into Jenner's back. He pulled the blade free, breathing heavily as he watched the body crumple to the ground, lying still. But then he looked back to the grave.

The surface of it was undisturbed, as if nothing had happened. He suddenly wondered, _did it happen? _He looked down, seeing the body gone as thunder rumbled overhead. He stared hopelessly at the black clouds, seeing how they were perfectly still, despite the roaring wind. He fell to his knees, staring at the ground. He thought, _am I crazy, _and suddenly realized he wasn't alone. He looked up.

In the unbearably dark night, standing all around him was a circle of large rats, ones he had never seen before. He spun in all directions, seeing they surrounded him. Tall and muscular, they all wore long black cloaks and, like Brutus and Nicodemus, they all had glowing eyes, only they were different. Behind this glow was something deeper, darker, more frightening than anything he'd ever known. They stood silently as he stared at them, catching his breath, when one finally moved. This one was directly in front of him, just a bit bigger than the rest. His arm lifted, hand reaching out, Justin's blood running cold as he watched the eyes burn more brightly, light flaring as the rat's gaze widened…

Justin awoke with a start, lying in bed in a darkened room. It was late, and his body was tense, as though he'd just burned adrenaline, his heart racing, skin covered in goose bumps. Though he was half-covered by a blanket, he shivered, realizing slowly where he was. He looked around, seeing no light, aside from a small shaft beneath the door. The embers in the stove had died hours ago, though it wasn't too chilly. Elizabeth was sleeping peacefully, her back to him. The touch of her skin warmed him, bringing him back to reality. He suddenly was aware of rain tapping lightly on the land outside.

He looked around once more before lying down, his movement causing her to shift in her sleep. He curled his body next to hers, sharing their warmth as he pulled up the blanket. He wrapped an arm around her, pulling her close as he closed his eyes, falling back into his uneasy sleep.

* * *

><p><em>This may be the end of <em>"Darkest Days", _but _my_ story still has a few surprises coming, so stay tuned!_


End file.
